A Werewolf Betrayed?
by Jeanne2
Summary: Rated Kplus for mild language and violence. Summary: Alternate universe starting just before Harry’s first year. Sirius has been in Azkaban for ten years and Remus wants to know why he betrayed the Potters. UPDATE CHAP23: Of Meetings.
1. Of Desire for Enlightenment

SUMMARY: AU taking place in the summer before Harry's first year

SUMMARY: AU taking place in the summer before Harry's first year. Sirius has been in Azkaban for ten years. Remus Lupin is plagued with thoughts of his school years and everything he had and lost. One night, Remus comes to a decision; he needs to confront Sirius.

DISCLAIMER: I own absolutely nothing. That means nothing: not any of the characters, objects, ideas (well maybe some of the ideas, but J.K. Rowling gets credit for those too) or anything else that you know is someone else's.

AN: I've revised this chapter because I tried adding on to the end, but my writing style has changed too much to just carry on. I'm planning on revising until I reach the end and then adding on to complete the story. Thanks for reading; please review!

--

"Sirius, you know you'd never be able to hide anything from us." James Potter said, slightly stunned. "Thus, I can't believe you just did that," he continued, "without me."

Sirius laughed heartily and replied, playfully punching James in the arm, "Well it didn't hurt her or anything."

"So?!" James snapped in mock outrage, "I should have been included! Besides being so obviously you, it was almost a brilliant idea!"

"Yeah, Sirius," said Remus Lupin, also in mock outrage and seriousness, "If you don't stop doing such foolish things on your own, you are going to end up in Azkaban."

--

Remus Lupin sat upright in bed. Merlin help him, he remembered his dream. It had been about _him_ again. Why did _he_ continue to haunt his dreams? Wasn't killing two of his best friends enough? No, of course not. Sirius couldn't have stopped there. He went on to kill Peter and all those muggles.

'Mustn't think of that. Think on the bright side- at least he's in Azkaban.'

'Is that a bright side? It doesn't seem like it. No one should deserve the dementors. But Sirius...' Remus shuddered 'Sirius did deserve those dementors. As much as he hated to think any act of sin justified that horrible fate, what Sirius Black did to betray his best friends, was justified.

Vaguely, Remus wondered what his one-time friend was doing in that Hell-house. He was probably wasting away to nothing. Remus shuddered again. It was hard to imagine that playful carefree boy becoming as insane as it was said men could become in the wizarding jail.

Remus tried to go back to sleep, but it was useless. Thinking of his mixed-up past had pumped adrenaline through his system and the werewolf knew from experience that there was no hope of drifting back off.

Sighing, the young man rolled off his bed and found the candle he had been using to read with the night before. He picked up his wand and lit the candle. Remus felt a shiver travel up his spine as his bare feet touched the stone floor. He ran his hand through his graying hair and began to walk towards his desk, thinking to send a letter. Remus didn't know who he wanted to send it to; he didn't have an owl, and who would want to hear from a werewolf anyways?

He used to know three people who would. Four if you counted Lily. But all of them were gone, now. Remus stopped walking. He couldn't keep doing this every single night! The ritual was the same every time he had a dream containing any of the marauders. He would wake up to think on it for a while, curse Sirius Black's name, stand up and walk over to his desk, end up starting a letter to someone who didn't exist, tear it up, and eventually sit by his window, looking outside until the sky grew light.

Remus felt his way down the wall, his eyes prickling with tears. Werewolves were more than just cursed. He just knew it. They weren't meant to have friends. They weren't meant to live a natural human life. Werewolves were doomed. Remus let the tears flow for a minute, before angrily wiping them away.

This was stupid, he realized, he couldn't just sit here feeling sorry for himself. He couldn't help what he was. He just had to keep doing the best he could do.

'Why,' was all Remus could think, then, 'Why did you do it, Sirius? Why did you destroy their lives? Why did you destroy my life?'

Remus stood up. He had to know. He had to ask him. After ten years of solitary confinement, Sirius would have come up with some reason. Remus knew that Sirius might be insane, knew that it would all be a lie, but he needed to know what the man would say.

--

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Sirius watched the water trickle down the wall, hit a bump, and then fall into the puddle to join the previous droplets.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Sirius closed his eyes. He could feel a dementor approaching his cell. Cold started pressing around him, inside and out. Sirius held his breath and emptied his mind of all thoughts, save one. I'm innocent. I'm innocent. I'm innocent. It wasn't me, I'm innocent. The cold would move on soon. It always did. It would last seventeen and a half seconds, and then it would be gone.

'Fifteen,' thought Sirius.

'Sixteen.'

'I'm innocent, you bloody dementor. Go away. I'm innocent.'

'Seventeen.'

'Eighteen.'

Why wasn't it leaving?

'I'm innocent.'

Sirius opened his eyes. The dementor was standing outside the cell, but there was someone else there too.

Unsteadily, Sirius stood up and slowly raised his hand to the bars that kept him from the outside world. Touching the cold bars, he saw the mostly-brown-haired man they were shielding flinch slightly. Sirius turned around, his vision wavering, and found the wall. He rested his head against it for a moment, trying to understand what he was seeing, before turning back to his friend.

'Former friend,' said a mean little voice in his mind, 'Remus would probably rather hex you to bits than stand there staring at you.'

"Wh-wha-" Sirius' voice died as he tried to ask what Remus was doing there. He hadn't used it for so long that one word wouldn't even come out.

"I want to know," Remus said. His voice chilled Sirius more than his freezing cell or the dementor.

"What?" Sirius finally managed to choke out.

"Why did you do it?"

Hazel eyes locked on gray.

--

You took the time to read it; will you press the "review" button at the bottom? Do you want me to continue, or should I give up? Next chapter the interesting stuff starts.


	2. Of Innocence

DISCLAIMER: I still own nothing. Things I own: ________!!! Got it? Nothing! Own no characters, places, histories, anything that you recognize belongs to the great J. K. Rowling! (although after the fifth book some people are worried.)  
  
AN: Don't worry, this story will NOT become slash *shivers involuntarily * And I know I only waited for four reviews but I couldn't wait any longer (plus one of my friends is anxious)  
  
AN2: Guess what? I just found my dad's Latin translation dictionary, so I can look up words! (I now know what Draco, Severus, Nemo, and various other interesting things based on Latin mean in English. If you're curious ask and I'll leave the answer in an AN some time.)  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
It was cold when Remus started out for Azkaban that morning. He hadn't slept enough the past three days while he had been thinking about Sirius Black, the Betrayer.  
  
Remus had been wondering for the longest time how he was going to ask the traitor why. It seemed such a simple question: Why?  
  
Remus' journey on the boat was a short one. The shore of the island holding Azkaban drew near too quickly for comfort.  
  
Remus reached the shore. There was a guard standing by the gate, who held out his hand when Remus approached. Remus handed him a small bronze key and a larger silver one (wrapped in cloth to protect Remus' hand). The man nodded and unlocked the large gate with one of his own keys and then led Remus into a long dark passageway. When they made it to the end of the longest hallway, the man took out the small bronze key and placed it into the lock. He turned it left, opened the door, closed the door, turned it right, opened the door again, then handed the silver key back to Remus.  
  
"I have to go back to my post," the man said, "but the dementors know why you're here. They'll take you to your- er- friend."  
  
Remus blinked. A dementor. The werewolf shivered just thinking about them.  
  
"Alright," the man continued, "you'll just have to turn left here, walk until you reach a door with a red handprint on it, turn the silver key left, then right, and then go in. There'll be a dementor waiting for you there. Follow him until he stops. That's where Black's cell is."  
  
Remus nodded mutely. Without looking back, he set off to find the dementor.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When Remus entered the door with the red handprint, he found a dementor waiting for him, as promised.  
  
The dementor led the werewolf down another stone hallway until finally it slowed down, then stopped. Remus had hardly noticed, for the dementor had been smothering him in cold, dark thoughts of betrayal and lies.  
  
Finally Remus realized his guide had stopped and he stopped too. He cautiously stepped over to another door. This one had a small window in the top, it's bars evenly spaced, not even big enough to let an entire hand through. Remus wished he had thought to bring a torch or candle or something. Remus let his eyes adjust (he noticed they were adjusting rather slower than usual).  
  
Stepping closer to the cell, Remus could see a thin figure sitting cross- legged on the floor, facing the wall to the left of the door. His eyes were closed tightly, but his ears seemed to be pricked up, waiting for the slightest sound to come his way. Remus waited. The thin figure didn't move.  
  
Remus opened his ears for any sound coming from the person in the cell. He could barely hear it, but the man was mumbling something. The werewolf's enhanced hearing deciphered the word 'innocent'. Remus was repulsed. He strained to hear more.  
  
'wasn't me, dementor, go away. I'm innocent.'  
  
Remus began to count. Eight. Nine. Ten. Remus could tell why so many people had wasted away in Azkaban- that cell was tiny it couldn't have been five feet across. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. At last, the figure stirred.  
  
Staring at Sirius Black, Remus realized that he had changed more than he had thought possible. As the convict stood and turned to look at Remus, he could see a haunted, deadened look in his eyes. His hair, just below the shoulders, was tangled to the point of being matted.  
  
The man who didn't look like Sirius Black stood up slowly and extended his hand, clasping it partially around one of the cold metal bars. Before Remus could say anything, Sirius turned to the wall and set his head against it, silently. Stunned, Remus stood and stared blankly at the wasted figure before him. Wouldn't a mad-man be begging to be set free? Shouldn't Sirius be trying to force his hand through the bars to strangle him?  
  
Remus just stood there at the door of the cell, staring at the back of the exhausted man's head.  
  
Finally, Sirius turned back around and made a strangely strangled, coughing noise in his throat. Remus couldn't tell whether he was simply trying to be acknowledged or if he was trying to say something.  
  
Remus kept his face unreadable. "I want to know,"  
  
The hateful betrayer made another noise in the back of his throat, and then formed a word Remus could barely distinguish, "What?"  
  
Sirius looked confused and stunned, Remus thought.  
  
"Why did you do it?" Remus persisted.  
  
Sirius turned his eyes so they bore into Remus'. Remus resisted the urge to back away.  
  
"You think I betrayed them," the murderer stated.  
  
"You did," Remus growled.  
  
Sirius' eyes remained on Remus, but now they seemed full of sadness, rather than emptiness.  
  
"I didn't betray them." He said simply.  
  
"What?!" Remus screamed, "You killed them, you instrument of malevolence, you deserve this cell!"  
  
"I know I killed them, I know I deserve this cell," the convict said, his voice raspy and broken, "but I didn't betray them. I would never betray James and Lily."  
  
"You killed them, but you didn't betray them.." Remus said sourly, "I find that hard to believe, Black."  
  
The convict winced, "Sorry, Remus," he said, "I'm so sorry."  
  
Disgusted, Remus turned to go- he had had enough! The man wasn't going to tell him anything.  
  
"Wait," called the man in the cell. Remus turned back frowning and the criminal continued, "I know you don't believe me, but please.. just answer me one thing."  
  
"Fine," Remus snapped angrily.  
  
"Did they ever find Peter?"  
  
Remus' breath caught in his throat. What kind of question was that? Black had blown him to bits- how could they find him?!  
  
"Did they ever find Peter," Remus repeated slowly. Sirius nodded. "How the Hell could anyone find Peter? You killed the innocent boy- blew him to bits! Yes I know all about that! Well, yes they did find Peter. The biggest bit of him you left? A FINGER!"  
  
Remus was panting by the end of his speech.  
  
"Damn," the convict muttered, running his hand through his hair, "damn."  
  
"You didn't think we would find out?" Remus yelled, "Did you think you had blown him apart nicely, efficiently?"  
  
"No," said the man in the cell, "Remus, will you promise me th-"  
  
"I'm not gonna promise you anything you lying, deceiving-"  
  
"Remus!" the prisoner interrupted, "I swear I didn't do it. I swear I wouldn't hurt them! It was the Rat!"  
  
"You were their secret-keeper!" Remus screeched at the top of his voice.  
  
Sirius Black shook his head sadly and turned away again, "It was the Rat," he repeated, his voice reverberating off the walls of his small cell.  
  
"I can't believe you! Killed James and Lily and Peter, and then you blame it on PETER! How in Merlin's name can you do that? Had a lot of practice lying outright to your friends, did you? You'd been planning to kill them for-"  
  
Again Sirius cut him off, whirling around to face Remus again, his eyes blazing with unseen fire, "You must find the Rat, Remus. Kill the Rat. The Rat killed James. The Rat killed Lily. The Rat put me in this-" Sirius walked to the wall and slammed his hand against it roughly, "locked me in here with those bloody dementors!"  
  
Remus noted that the convict's voice was slowly becoming weaker again from his wearing it out, but Sirius didn't seem to want to stop.  
  
"I'm innocent! I didn't do anything but believe the bloody Rat! He lied to us, Remus! Lied to James and Lily and me! Lied to Dumbledore! Only person he didn't lie to was bloody Voldemort!"  
  
Remus flinched at the name.  
  
"Remember what Dumbledore said, Remus?" Sirius continued, his voice threatening to die, "'Fear of a name only increases the fear of the thing itself.' Don't fear Voldemort's name. Peter still did last I knew. He flinched when I mentioned his master in the street that day, before he killed the muggles."  
  
'Sirius' story is crazy, Peter couldn't have been James and Lily's secret keeper- someone would have told me.' Remus thought, 'unless. ..'  
  
"If you changed secret keepers, why didn't you tell me?" Remus demanded.  
  
Sirius hung his head. Had he been Padfoot, his tail would have been between his legs. "I- I thought it was you, Remus. I don't know why I couldn't see it was Peter! How could I blame you?! I thought. . ." there Sirius' voice finally did die. His mouth continued to move and he tried to clear his throat a number of times.  
  
"I don't believe you, Black." Remus said, sadly, "I want to believe you, but I can't. Peter always was the innocent one, I don't know why you tried blaming it on him. You should have known I wouldn't buy that."  
  
The man behind the cell door inched as close as he could get to the door without touching the bars and whispered hoarsely, "No, Remus, it wasn't me. It was Peter."  
  
Remus was startled to see Sirius' eyes were brimming with tears. The convict turned away and tried not to let Remus see him as he wiped the tears away on his sleeve.  
  
Remus was debating whether to believe Sirius was really crying, or whether those were forced tears. The werewolf couldn't remember Sirius ever crying at school, real or fake. If he was pretending, he was doing it very well considering his being surrounded by the dementors so long.  
  
The convict suddenly whirled around and put his nose between the bars, whispering, "Remus, believe me. You have to believe me. I would never betray James and Lily and- and Harry. I'm his godfather!"  
  
"You're his godfather," Remus repeated, more to himself than to Sirius, "little Harry Potter- he's almost eleven now, he'll be starting Hogwarts soon."  
  
Suddenly, the convict let out a moaning sound from the back of his throat and collapsed onto the floor.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Review if you want to. 


	3. Of Staying

DISCLAIMER: I still own nothing. Imagine me sitting here, owning nothing!  
  
AN: I couldn't wait too much longer. I'm happy I got six reviews, though. Have fun reading this new chappy. And in not to awfully long we will bring Hogwarts into the mix! (okay a little MORE into the mix, because at the end of the chapter there's a tiny little bit of Hogwarts, but not much)  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Suddenly, the convict let out a moaning sound from the back of his throat and collapsed onto the floor.  
  
"Send it away, Remus," he said as clearly as was possible, Remus imagined, for someone who had almost no voice left.  
  
"Why?" Remus asked, coldly, he already knew Black was talking about the dementor, "You deserve to remember that night. You deserve the dementor's effects."  
  
"Noo.. ." moaned Black, his eyes rolling up into his head, "I didn't mean to, James. Remus I didn't do it. It was the Rat." The convict was sobbing onto his defiled sleeve.  
  
The scene flickered oddly before Remus' gaze before he turned to face the dementor. To his astonishment and repulsion, it was moving towards the cell, its hands lowering its hood.  
  
The sobbing from inside the cell decreased when the dementor reached Remus. Instead of closing the gap between it and the cell, the dementor turned to the man closest to him.  
  
Damn emotions running high.  
  
"N-no, wait, I'm j-just visiting.. ." said the werewolf, his vision obscured by white fog and cries of pain. Remus racked his brain and found a picture of himself greeting James, Peter, and Sirius after a long summer away from school. It wasn't powerful enough.  
  
The dementor extended its hands.  
  
"Moony," said a panicky voice from inside the cell, "the Patronous charm!"  
  
The convict had forced his voice to move.  
  
The werewolf again racked his mind for a memory powerful enough to keep a dementor at bay. Any memory that happened at Hogwarts would do- but just then Remus couldn't remember enough to drive it away or even slow it down.  
  
"Happy thoughts," the convict mumbled, also searching his brain, "Remus- when you found out we were animagi!"  
  
Remus took a deep breath and bellowed "Expecto Patronum!"  
  
An enormous, silver, bear-like dog erupted from the tip of his wand and launched itself at the dementor. The dementor was thrown backwards and vanished into the shadows. Remus felt his head clear up and the cold prison become less so.  
  
"I thought it would've changed," Remus muttered, sadly, "I guess once they choose a form they can't change."  
  
"That's not true, Remus, I read that-" Sirius started.  
  
"You read?" interrupted Remus, humorlessly.  
  
"Yes. I read that they change form if the original one isn't the most loyal and protective of the person casting it," said the convict.  
  
"You lie," Remus accused.  
  
The man behind the bars laughed coldly, "You're the one who isn't going to be locked away for the rest of your life- go check it out. But first find Peter and kill him."  
  
"Give it up with the rat!" the werewolf snapped, "He's already dead, you killed him, and nothing you say is going to change my mind!"  
  
"Nothing, Remus?" Black asked, seriously, "Not even if it's the truth?"  
  
"If you had told the truth they would have let you off!" Remus snapped.  
  
"Really? What trial was this at? I certainly wasn't there." Said the werewolf's former friend.  
  
"Stop lying to me!"  
  
"Remus," said the prisoner desperately, "I have never lied to you. Name one lie- one reason I ever gave for you not to trust me."  
  
"You worked for Voldemort," Said Remus.  
  
"Me? A Death Eater? I am not, nor was I ever, working for Voldemort. You can bring some veritaserrum next time you come," said Black, then added sadly, "Not that you'd ever come back to see an evil, double-crossing, betraying, son-of-a-"  
  
"You're admitting it then?" Remus interrupted.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're admitting that you betrayed them."  
  
"Never, Remus, I'm saying that's why you'd never come back into this horrible excuse for a prison again; because you THINK that I'm an evil, double-crossing, betraying, son-of-a-"  
  
"Stop it, Black! You're getting on my nerves," said the haggard werewolf.  
  
The convict winced at the use of his last name, "Sorry, Moony."  
  
"And stop calling me that! We made up those names as the Marauders and now we are grown men. Strange even now to be saying that to you, though. Grown up, indeed."  
  
Sirius Black stood back from the door and looked down at his horrid state of health, "You know, Moony, I don't feel much like an adult. I've been locked in this same room for ten years of my adult life and it makes me feel as though- mmm- I'm not quite sure."  
  
"I know what it must be like in there, Black, every month I have to do the same thing. Locked in a small room with only myself for company."  
  
"Haven't they found a cure yet?" Said Black, concernedly.  
  
"No, and never will, I'll bet," said Remus.  
  
"Say, Remus, you wouldn't happen to have a copy of the Daily Prophet on you, would you? And a quill, preferably. I miss doing the crossword puzzles. It's gonna be a long rest of my life if I can't do anything."  
  
"I'll bet," said Remus, coldly.  
  
The convict sighed. "You still don't believe me, do you?"  
  
"No," said the werewolf shortly.  
  
"I should've figured. It was too good to be true. I always had good luck in school. I suppose it's only fair that it's caught up with me now."  
  
Remus looked at the thin, pale man trapped inside the tiny room and felt a short pang of pity, but quickly pushed it away. He deserved it. He did!  
  
"Listen, Moony," Remus winced, "I swear on everything I still hold dear; Lily and James' memory, little Harry Potter's honor, Professor Dumbledore's honor, whatever honor I have left, I even swear on the precious memory of the Marauders, that I did *not* betray the Potters to Voldemort or anyone else."  
  
The werewolf forced himself to remember that this man was the reason Lily and James were gone. "I can't trust you, Black. You were proven guilty."  
  
The prisoner let out a moan of frustration, "Remus, you are the only person who will ever even come in here to listen to me and you don't believe me! I'm doomed to be in here for the rest of my life while that stupid Rat is out there bidding his time until Voldemort is powerful enough to watch out for him again. That's why he did it, Moony, Voldemort was the biggest bully on the playground! We should have realized before- the only reason he was *our* 'friend' is because we were popular. We were everyone's idols. We-"  
  
"Shut up!" Yelled Remus, unable to take it anymore, "Stop lying to me! I can't believed you would sink so low! The only reason you are going on like that is because you want to get out of here!"  
  
"Remus, I've got no hope of that, anymore. What I'm worried about is James' son. I'm worried about Harry. As a rat, Peter can get to anywhere he wants to get to and the most people will do is set out a trap. Harry is going to be defenseless against him. No one knows Peter's still alive- NO ONE EXCEPT ME, and I'm stuck in here where I can't hurt him!" The convict was breathing hard by the end of this speech, and he looked as though he was ready to attempt to break the bars with his bare hands to get out. Once he had calmed down, though, he looked scared and apologetic, "Sorry, I got carried away."  
  
Remus resisted the temptation to laugh. Although hardly appropriate for the time, the werewolf had seen his school friend called Padfoot explode in the very same way when he was mad.  
  
"I can't trust you anymore, Black. You lost your charming smile and persuasive ways when you were thrown in here and you're not getting them back," Remus said, coldly.  
  
"I'M NOT TRYING TO!"  
  
"Well what are you doing?" asked Remus in the same cold voice that startled even himself.  
  
"I want you to promise me," the convict paused looking at his old friend as if wondering if he was about to be interrupted. When the werewolf said nothing, he continued, "that you will keep an eye on Harry for me. Ask Dumbledore for a job at the school and watch out for James' son. Talk to Dumbledore about his defenses in the school. And most importantly keep a wide eye out for the Rat. I bet you *anything* that Peter will be positioned and ready at Hogwarts so that if even a word of Voldemort's power reaches his ears, he will be able to deliver the last Potter to his master."  
  
Sirius finished so bitterly that Remus could almost feel the hatred radiating off him. Despite his doubt, Remus couldn't help but feel that the convict's feelings for the rat-animagus were very real.  
  
"Promise me! Please, Remus!" The prisoner had an impossibly pitiful look on his face and Remus felt his heart loosen a little bit for the young, carefree boy Sirius Black had once been.  
  
"Maybe I'll think about it," Remus grunted, realizing that Dumbledore would most likely give him a job- it would be the best job he had ever had, considering he had been shunned and looked down upon his entire adult life. 'And when I was a kid,' added a little voice in his head.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Neither of them moved for a while. The silence was painful.  
  
Sirius opened his mouth again and cleared his throat, "Er- Remus? Are you gonna leave now? There's nothing more I would really be able to persuade of you, knowing how stubborn you were in school, and you I should think you would contact Dumbledore as soon as you got back. School year's about to start, and all."  
  
"Ah, yes. I- I'll be going then." Remus turned to leave, but stopped before he got to the door. He turned around. Black was still standing by the door of his cell looking longingly out, "You're giving up that easily?" Remus asked, suspiciously, "I don't remember you EVER doing that at school."  
  
The dark figure shrugged and said, "Dunno, guess Azkaban's had its effects on me. Actually, I've just thought of something else- look for the Marauder's map, will you? It's probably still in Filch's office from when we planted it there," Remus saw the convicted murderer grin widely, "unless our heirs have already come to Hogwarts and found it."  
  
"I'll keep my eyes open." Remus replied, his voice still frosty, "If I see anyone with a large sign on their head that says 'Marauders in the making' I'll ask if they have any maps I could use."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sirius sighed. It had gone well. At least now there was a slight chance of Peter getting caught- even if it wasn't by him. Sitting down to resume his counting of the drips falling from the wall, he realized that Remus hadn't agreed to give him a Daily Prophet. Sirius sighed. Ah well, the drips would just have to be interesting enough. . .  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When Remus reached his house, he found himself running over his conversation with Sirius in his mind. Absently, he walked over to his fireplace and drew out his wand. With his right hand he lit a fire, with his left he grabbed a small handful of Floo Powder. Throwing it in the fire he stepped in. As clearly as he could, he said the words 'Headmaster's office at Hogwarts'.  
  
When he stepped into the circular office he immediately spotted Dumbledore sitting quietly at his desk, papers spread before him. Brushing ash from his robes, Remus walked into Dumbledore's line of vision.  
  
Without looking up, Albus Dumbledore said, "Hello Remus."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
How's it goin? Story what you expected? Turning out bad? Tell me if you think I should go in a different direction. Feedback is welcome: criticisms, 'nice jobs's', anything you want to say so I know you're reading is appreciated.  
  
I have other stories too, and I could be working on those instead, but. . . I like the way this one is goin. 


	4. Of Passing Out

DISCLAIMER: Sitting here, owning nothing. Still Harry Potter and all the characters, places, and objects in the books are NOT MINE! So I'd appriciate it if you didn't sue. I'm just borrowing these pretty people and places. (  
  
AN: Next chapter. Hope you like. I added it because I got another review. THANX PEEPS! You're so great!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When he stepped into the circular office he immediately spotted Dumbledore sitting quietly at his desk, papers spread before him. Brushing ash from his robes, Remus walked into Dumbledore's line of vision.  
  
Without looking up, Albus Dumbledore said, "Hello Remus."  
  
"Hello Professor Dumbledore," Remus replied, "I- I have a few matters to address with you if you're not busy?"  
  
"Why, certainly, Remus," the headmaster of Hogwarts replied, looking up.  
  
Remus cleared his throat, "Firstly, I wonder if you have a Defense teacher for this year?"  
  
"Why, yes, I do, but if you like I will hold the position for you. I'm quite sure Professor Quirrell will end up leaving at the end of this year. The job seems to be cursed. Not to discourage you, of course."  
  
"Of course," Remus replied, "Yes, Professor, that would be much appreciated.  
  
"Was there something else?" Dumbledore asked, seriously.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Dumbledore waited. Remus cleared his throat again, "As I'm sure you've heard, I went to visit Azkaban today," the headmaster didn't respond except to nod, so Remus continued, "And he seemed very keen on proving himself innocent."  
  
Even though he didn't say who 'he' was, he knew that Dumbledore would know exactly who he was talking about.  
  
"As I'm sure anyone would do if faced with Azkaban- innocent or guilty. Please continue."  
  
"He kept going on about how it was- was P-Peter who was the betrayer. That Peter had been the secret keeper and Peter had," Remus swallowed an impossibly large lump from his throat, "sold the Potters out to He-Who-Must- Not-Be-Named."  
  
"Voldemort, Remus, call him Voldemort," Dumbledore interjected.  
  
"Right, V-Voldemort."  
  
"His real name is Tom. Call him that if you wish."  
  
"Er- that's okay. Professor, do you think we should- er- trust Black? Or maybe give the idea a chance?"  
  
"Remus, I think it is your memory of Sirius Black as you knew him at school. In the real world he may well be as bad as everyone thinks he is and more. Of course he wasn't given a proper trial, so it is _possible_ that he did not commit those crimes, but there is really no evidence to point that direction.  
  
"Even if Peter was the Secret Keeper he couldn't have disappeared, someone had set up anti-apparition wards all around that area and there had been no portkey use in that area for years. I don't know that Peter could have set up an unauthorized portkey, and, as I recall, he hadn't gained his apparitioning license when he tracked Black down."  
  
"You're right, Dumbledore. I guess I- I'll just. . ." a little while ago Remus had been prepared to tell Dumbledore about Peter, Sirius, and James becoming animagus, but now that Dumbledore explained it that way- there really was no way Remus could support Sirius. Besides, there had been witnesses- a whole street full of them- who saw Black murder Peter and so many muggles!  
  
"Perhaps you should get some sleep, Remus. We have a few rooms to lend out for the night. If you are feeling ill you could drop into the infirmary. Poppy is already there preparing some salves and potions she may not have time to make during the course of the year and I'm sure she would be able to help you with whatever ails you."  
  
"Y-yes, thank you, professor" Remus said.  
  
"You may call me Albus now. You no longer go to school here."  
  
"Thank you," Remus repeated.  
  
On the way to the hospital wing (Remus' feet guided him there by themselves as he had, in school, gone between the Headmaster's office and the hospital wing quite often enough), Remus thought about his strange predicament. Was he to trust Dumbledore? What if Black was telling the truth. . . no, he must remember the murderer's story held no truth. It just wasn't possible that Peter could be alive- there had been witnesses.  
  
As Remus pushed the door to the hospital wing open, he realized how utterly spent he was.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey. . ." he said softly as he approached her office, "I don't feel that well-"  
  
By the time Madam Pomfrey realized that someone was in the otherwise abandoned wing (she had been extremely absorbed in her work) there was a groan and a loud 'thump' and then silence.  
  
Abandoning the simple healing potion she was brewing, she raced into the main wing to see a former patient of hers prone on the cold stone floor. She rushed over to him and put a finger to a vein in his neck. His heartbeat was still regular, but he was exceedingly cold. Reaching behind her ear, she pulled out her wand and levitated him onto a bed and started treatment on him. She realized that he needed chocolate right away ("He should have had some ages ago, I thought he knew better!") and began magically pumping it into his system.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Remus groaned loudly. He had such a bad feeling- almost like it was cold in his head- that wouldn't go away. Remus forced his mind to pull itself up- he knew he had to wake up to get rid of the feeling. There were layers in many things and minds were one of them. To be free of this 'prison' Remus knew he had to rise through all the levels. It took concentration.  
  
"Oh, he's still asleep," a disappointed voice sounded above him, jerking him out of his peaceful state. Remus lurched forward in the bed and succeeded in toppling, flailing wildly, onto the floor. He struggled against the blankets, trying to free himself, but he grew tired quickly and a different voice said, "Now, really, Remus, you don't have to act like we are going to attack you. We merely came to see how you were doing."  
  
Remus blinked. He could see tall figures standing around him, but couldn't make out any faces.  
  
"Nah, s'kay," Remus mumbled thickly, "Were'm I, now?"  
  
"You still reside Hogwarts, Mr. Lupin," said the voice of the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Remus knew he would be able to tell that voice anywhere, "In the hospital wing, as you were not doing to well when Madam Pomfrey found you lying on the floor outside her office a few weeks ago."  
  
Remus blinked again and then understood, "WEEKS?"  
  
"Yes, the dementors' effects were magnified because of your- er- condition, Mr. Lupin, and as you didn't have immediate medical treatment, you stayed in a sleeplike state for a little over four weeks," Madam Pomfrey explained.  
  
"Shouldn'a school started bah now?" Remus asked, his voice still not quite working properly.  
  
"Yes, it is the first day of classes for the new students," said a voice Remus recognized as Minerva McGonagall's.  
  
"Who're th'new Gryffindors?" Remus wondered.  
  
Dumbledore chuckled, "You mean Mr. Potter? Yes he was made a Gryffindor along with a few other promising students. There was a Mr. Ronald Weasley, whom Harry was conversing with- there's a potential friendship there, if I'm not mistaken. There was also a couple muggle-born and half-blood students in the mix. Young Mr. Malfoy was, of course, sorted into Slytherin. This group of students will be. . . interesting."  
  
Remus nodded, "Why can'da I see you?"  
  
"After-effects of the dementors, I would expect," said Madam Pomfrey.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I believe," said a voice Remus didn't recognize, "that Mr. Lupin would appreciate being left alone for a time so he can rest."  
  
Remus nodded in agreement and then felt two people, one on either side of him, lift him onto the bed. Almost instantly he was asleep.  
  
"Well," said Dumbledore happily, "perhaps we should get ready for another day at Hogwarts?"  
  
The other teacher's nodded.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
(  
  
Review? Please? I like feedback on how my story is going.  
  
I'll add the next chapter soon.  
  
It's kinda funny. 


	5. Of Seeing Middle Names

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing you see. . . except maybe the plot- MAYBE. I most certainly don't own the characters, places, objects, or anything you know is J. K. Rowling's. I WISH I could own the books so I could bring my favorite character back from the dead (or the veil).  
  
AN: Yes, this chapter is a bit funny. And yes, it WAS Snape that he didn't recognize the voice of in the last chapter.

* * *

Almost a week later, Remus was feeling much better. Madam Pomfrey, however, was not eager to let him go.  
  
"You're condition worsened it so much that I am worried about what will happen next week," she said, early one morning, as Remus was washing up for the first meal he would have with the rest of the school; breakfast.  
  
"What?! It's already the full moon?!" Remus exclaimed, startled, splashing water from the basin all over the floor.  
  
"Oh, no, dear, that's not until next week, but I would still like you to stay here until we're finished with that. I could help you, just like at school."  
  
"No, I really couldn't stay here where there are children around- what if the unthinkable happens?"  
  
"Don't worry, Mr. Lupin, I'm not worried about that. We will take the extra precautions. Besides, a great mind like yours is always welcome here at Hogwarts. I'm sure Hagrid would love your help outside, (I don't know how in Merlin's name you know so much about the things in the forest!) We will find a job for you to do."  
  
"But, I really couldn't- I. . . it would be another person for the house- elves to cook for, and I- er. . . I would be in the way and-"  
  
Madam Pomfrey was shaking her head and smiling slightly. She assured Remus that he would not be in the way in the slightest, there were plenty of rooms to spare in the great castle, the house-elves wouldn't even notice the difference in the numbers of people eating their food, and that everyone at Hogwarts would appreciate his presences.  
  
Remus sighed in defeat and went down to breakfast. He was planning on sitting at the staff table, even though he wasn't staff, because it would hardly be approved of if he were to sit at any of the house tables.  
  
The first thing he noticed as he walked in through the doors into the great hall was that only a handful of students were at each table. Wondering why there were so few people awake at this hour (surely everyone had classes in a half an hour), he strode inconspicuously toward the table at the other side of the room which, at the moment, felt enormous.  
  
Remus walked anxiously, glancing around at the students at the nearest tables. Some of them looked up at him as he passed, but didn't say anything. Their eyes didn't linger on Remus for more than was natural. The werewolf quickened his pace.  
  
When, at last, Remus reached the staff table, he was more nervous than he thought was possible for him to become.  
  
'They're just students!' Remus scolded himself, silently, 'They don't even know you!'  
  
As he sat down next to Professor McGonagall, he let his eyes scan the high table more carefully. The first thing he noticed was the large purple turban sitting on the left side of Snape.  
  
'The Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor?' Remus wondered to himself, 'Wait a minute. . .'  
  
"Snape?!" Remus gasped out loud.  
  
McGonagall looked at Remus severely and said, "Yes, Remus, Severus works here now. He is the Potion's master as well as the head of Slytherin house."  
  
Stunned, Remus turned to his plate. Not really all that hungry, Remus dished up meager portions of what lay closest to him: a plate of fruit, a pitcher of pumpkin juice, and some other things- Remus didn't even notice what they were. When he had mechanically eaten everything on his plate he stood up and left the Great Hall.  
  
In a daze, Remus walked down a corridor of the castle, not caring in the slightest where he ended up.  
  
He had been moving at a comfortable pace for a few minutes when he heard someone approaching from the opposite direction. Two someones, actually.  
  
"No, we can't share it with him, even if he IS Harry Potter," one voice said.  
  
Remus thought the voice sounded like it belonged to a student. Probably in his third or fourth year.  
  
"But, Fred, he's Ron's friend," protested another voice (Remus almost mistook the second voice for the first, it was so similar).  
  
"Exactly! We can't go telling every first-year we meet about the map, George!"  
  
Remus' ears pricked at the sound of the word 'map' and he sank back into the shadows as the two figures turned the corner. Remus realized why they had sounded so similar; they were twins! The twins- Fred and George, they had said- had bright red hair and were a happy medium between muscular and normal. They looked like Quidditch players to Remus.  
  
George sighed, "I wonder what they would've done. Would Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs have shown their brother and his famous friend their most valuable mischief-making tool? I thought not."  
  
At this, Remus stepped out from behind the shadows and looked down at the two third-year boys, who gulped. The one Remus thought to be Fred, hastened to hide a blank, tattered piece of parchment behind his back.  
  
"I need to see that, Fred." Remus said, with all the authority he could muster.  
  
"N-need to see. . . er. . . need to see what?" George asked innocently.  
  
"The map," said Remus, not willing to play any games, as he was extremely tired of waiting already.  
  
The twins looked flabbergasted. They exchanged a startled glance and then Fred asked, "Map? No, you must have the wrong boys. We don't have any map, do we George?"  
  
"No, Fred, nothing of the sort!" The other twin said hurriedly.  
  
"Please! I need to see the map!" Remus said, pointing to the blank piece of parchment in Fred's hand.  
  
"Er, that? That's just a bit of old parchment, sir." Fred said, holding out the parchment for the adult to inspect, "It's really not worth anything. Just a spare bit of-"  
  
Remus extended his hand, but Fred had stuffed it hastily inside his pocket.  
  
"Please, boys, I just need to see it. If I don't find what I need on it I'll give it back. Please."  
  
George gave Fred a look and Fred reluctantly emptied his pocket. Remus took the parchment and set his wand to it, saying, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."  
  
The twins, now extremely confused and stunned, stared at the intimidating wizard standing in front of them. He was searching the map, his finger tracing the lines expertly. He was mumbling something that the twins strained to hear.  
  
". . .wouldn't be there, too close to. . . he could be up in the. . . no that is foolish. . . suppose he could be. . ."  
  
The adult sighed and turned to the still staring twins, "Can I borrow this? It will take me awhile to search the whole castle for him."  
  
He turned to leave before the students had answered.  
  
Finally regaining their senses the two students called after the mysterious adult, "Wait! Who are you?" Fred asked as George yelled, "Stop! You have to tell us something!"  
  
Remus turned around to face the students he had just relieved of one of his fondest memories at Hogwarts.  
  
"My name is Remus Lupin, otherwise known as Moony. I have need of this map for many reasons, none of which I can disclose to you at this moment. Thank you for being of assistance to me. I would be pleased if you would carry on the wonderful line of mischief makers that my friends and I started not twenty years ago."  
  
With that he turned and left the two (now even more stunned) boys to be confused by themselves.  
  
The werewolf immediately headed for the library, one of his favorite haunts from his school days.  
  
When he arrived there, there were only five other occupants. One he recognized as Madam Pince, the librarian, three included a boy with pale hair and two burly looking boys who sat huddled around a single book, but only the one of them seemed to be reading it. The library's other occupant was a young girl with bushy brown hair and her nose almost touching the page of a book that must have been seven hundred pages long. She had an entranced look on her face and a pile of eight or nine other books next to her on the table.  
  
Remus sat down a good distance away from any other people and pulled out the map. For hours, he sat examining it, from the kitchens where the house- elves worked to the boys bathrooms on the fifth floor. After a while, Remus began to wonder why he was doing this- staring at a map of Hogwarts searching for a dead man. Sirius was crazy and his madness must have rubbed off on Remus if he was really expecting to sit here staring at the map for the entire day!  
  
With that thought, he turned to the map again, thinking to wipe it blank, when he thought of something else: he could check up on Harry by using the map.  
  
Remus let his eyes travel the path between the Great Hall to the Gryffindor common room. Just outside the portrait hole, Remus found him and another boy labeled Ronald Weasley. They were headed towards breakfast.  
  
Remus stood up and left the library, the map (wiped blank) in his pocket. He walked quickly, intending on meeting James' son for the first time in ten years. 'Ten years,' Remus thought, 'that's how long Black's been in Azkaban. But he deserves it. He is the reason Harry has no family. He is the reason Harry-'  
  
Just then another red-headed boy turned the corner followed by (James?!) no it was Harry. There he was, looking just like his father, and talking nonchalantly to the red-headed boy, Remus assumed to be Ronald Weasley.  
  
"I'm telling you, Harry, she's obsessed! Lavender Brown told me that she got up at six o'clock this morning and went to the library. She woke up early on a Saturday to go to the library to STUDY! Harry she is crazy!"  
  
Harry nodded his agreement. Remus walked up to the two boys and smiled.  
  
"Hello, boys," he said.  
  
"Er- hello," said Harry and Ron in unison.  
  
"I was just wondering if you knew where misters Fred and George Weasley are?" Remus said.  
  
"Oh, yeah, I think their still at breakfast," red-headed Ronald Weasley said.  
  
"We saw them this morning, and they kept looking at us strangely," said Harry, more to himself and Ronald than to Remus, "I wonder what that was about. . ."  
  
Remus knew.  
  
"Do you really want to know?" he asked the boys.  
  
The boys exchanged a glance and nodded eagerly.  
  
"Come with me," Remus said, starting off towards the library again.  
  
"Wait," said Harry (Ron had started off after Remus without a thought), "Who are you? How do we know we can trust you?"  
  
Remus turned around, impressed at how responsible Harry was, even at such a young age.  
  
"I knew your father. I was a friend of his and I would like to show you something of his."  
  
Harry nodded, but still seemed apprehensive.  
  
Glad, Remus turned back around motioning for the boys to follow him.  
  
He could hear them whispering something behind him, but he didn't eavesdrop.  
  
When they reached the library, the trio of boys that was there earlier was gone, but Madam Pince and the bushy-haired girl that Remus had seen on the map as Hermione Granger, were still there.  
  
Ronald pointed at her and whispered something to Harry, who nodded again.  
  
"Come over here," Remus said, motioning to an empty table.  
  
When all three of them were seated around the blank piece of parchment, Remus took out his wand and repeated what he had said earlier, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."  
  
Harry's and Ronald's eyes grew wide as lines spread out from where Remus' wand had touched the parchment.  
  
"The Marauder's Map," Remus said, quietly, "We made it up at school."  
  
Pointing to the names at the top, Remus said, "I'm Moony. Harry, your dad was Prongs."  
  
"My dad?" Harry said, stunned.  
  
"Yes, your dad was Prongs. Wormtail was one of our friends."  
  
"What about the other one?" Ronald asked, "Padfoot?"  
  
"Oh, him," Remus said, he had known he would have to answer, but he still didn't want to.  
  
"He used to be a friend. Now he isn't."  
  
"Er- okay," said Ron, "We know what happened to Prongs," he glanced at Harry, who nodded, "And you- er- Moony?- but what happened to the other two?"  
  
Remus was glad the boys were already comfortable around him, but he really didn't want to get into that just now.  
  
Harry recognized Remus' silence as unwillingness to answer.  
  
"It's okay. You don't have to answer," the younger version of James said, "What's up, Ron?"  
  
"L-look!" Ronald- er Ron- said, "There are dots- with our names on them!"  
  
Remus chuckled.  
  
"Wow. . ." Ron said, breathlessly.  
  
"Yeah," agreed Harry, "My dad helped make this?"  
  
"Yes," Remus said.  
  
"Wo-ow," Harry and Ron chorused.  
  
"Each of the dots," said Remus, pointing to the three dots labeled Remus Lupin, Harry Potter, and Ronald Weasley, in the library, "represents a person. They will always show the person's true name, even if they are wearing an invisibility cloak, or are in a different form- like an animagus (you two did see McGonagall transform, didn't you? Oh, no, that's not until third year.)"  
  
"Look, Harry, we can see everyone in the Great Hall! There're Fred and George. And there's Dumbledore. Wow, he's got a long name."  
  
"Hmm," Remus said looking at the name Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, "It doesn't usually show middle names. . ."  
  
Harry and Ron laughed out loud, and Hermione Granger, who wasn't as far away as she could have been, looked up irritated from her book and shushed the boys saying, "SOME of us are TRYING to read, in here, so if you DON'T mind. . ."  
  
Harry and Ron exchanged an exasperated glance and burst out laughing again. Remus chuckled quietly as well.  
  
The girl stood up and stormed over to the other table and said to Remus, "I'm sorry, sir, but these boys are disrupting the peace. Would you PLEASE watch over them and make sure they DON'T?!" With the last word she glared at the two newly Gryffindor boys and she stormed back to her table and, with a huff, sat down again to read her book.  
  
Harry and Ron looked in opposite directions to avoid another laughing fit.  
  
Remus looked back at the map. Idly he looked through the Great Hall again, this time making out a few more names. At the Slytherin table, there were Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Pansy Parkinson, and Blaise Zambini. At the Hufflepuff table there were Hannah Abbot, Justin Finch- Fletchy, and Cedric Diggory. At the Gryffindor table there were Fred and George Weasley, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Neville Longbottom, and Percy Weasley. There were only three Ravenclaws at breakfast so far. One was Padma Patil, and the others were Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecomb. Finally Remus let his eyes travel back up to the staff table. The same people were there as were at breakfast, but this time there were more people than before. Minerva McGonagall was still there as well as-  
  
Remus' musings were cut short from an outraged cry from Harry. So loud, in fact, that Hermione Granger looked threateningly over to the three boys and Madam Pince snapped at them to be quiet.  
  
"Ron! There's someone in your stuff!" Harry yelled.  
  
"What?!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes braking contact with the Slytherin common room to go into their dorm, "I don't see- oh! Why is there. . ."  
  
"Could we borrow this, Moony?" Harry asked, quickly.  
  
"I guess, but meet me back here in a few minutes," Remus called after them as the swept out of the library with the map.

* * *

Hehehe  
  
Like that chapter? I had to get the story going.  
  
The next chapter is also kinda funny. . . and kinda something else.  
  
Guess who the person is that's in Ron's stuff? (lol)  
  
Review? Please? 


	6. Of er, Scabbers?

DISCLAIMER: Currently owning nothing of import.  
  
AN: Sorry this chapter's kinda short, but I thought I'd add it sooner rather than later. Personally I like this chapter. It's funny. The next chapter may be short too, but then again I may decide to make it longer. I have almost posted everything I've written, so it might take me a while to update again. I hope not.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The two boys went tearing out of the library and down numerous halls. Before long they were outside the common room. Ron gasped out the password and they stumbled through the portrait hole.  
  
Harry held the map in front of them and they saw that Peter Pettigrew was still in their room. They stumbled up the stairs and pushed open the door. One glance around the room told them that no one was there. Confused, Harry looked back at the map and showed Ron that the mysterious person should be on or in his trunk. They crept up to the trunk and Harry turned to Ron, mouthing 'Maybe he's invisible.'  
  
Ron nodded and suddenly he lunged at the trunk. . .  
  
. . . . . .  
  
. . .and went flying right over it.  
  
"Ron!" Harry yelled, running over to help him up.  
  
"There's no one there," Ron muttered, rubbing his head, "I would've felt him."  
  
"What if. . ." Harry started, but Ron pointed at his pet rat, Scabbers.  
  
"We can't just leave him here. What if they're planning on doing something to him. He'd probably sleep right through anything they did, but what if they did something really bad?"  
  
"Okay," agreed Harry knowing that Ron's pet was useless, but Ron still seemed to have a lot of feelings for the mangy little thing, "Moony will be expecting us soon, though."  
  
Harry looked back at the map, and saw the dot labeled Peter Pettigrew was still in the room, but as they couldn't do anything about him. . .  
  
'Maybe Moony will know what to do,' Harry thought, hopefully, 'he could come in here and do something. Maybe there was a spell for that. Remus Lupin (as it said on the map) WAS an accomplished wizard and would know plenty of spells that could help them.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When they met up with Remus in the library, they told him that they hadn't found the intruder, who they supposed was in one of the other houses as they hadn't learned all of their names yet.  
  
"C-can I see the map?" Remus asked them, dreading what he would find.  
  
The two Gryffindors handed the map to their new friend, who promptly looked over the Gryffindor dorms.  
  
Remus let out his breath- there was no one there now.  
  
"What is it?" Harry wondered  
  
"I don't know who it was, Harry, but he's gone now." Remus answered.  
  
"He is?" Ron asked, "Well, where'd he go?"  
  
"Dunno, Ron, maybe he left after we did," Harry said.  
  
"We should search all around the area. He couldn't have gotten too far," Ron said, unquestionably.  
  
"Right," Harry agreed, then pointing to the map said, "I'll check the third floor and the fourth floor, Ron you check the first floor in case he's trying to make a break for it, Moony, would you check the-"  
  
"OUCH!" Ron yelped, scrambling up as if fighting a losing battle with his robes, "SCABBERS! DON'T- OUCH- DON'T DO THAT!"  
  
Hermione Granger, still at the next table over and still intent on reading her book, took another exasperated look at the other table, snatched up her books and left the room in another huff.  
  
"Ron? What's wrong?" Remus asked, concerned.  
  
"It's my BLOODY RAT," he yelled, "he's gone- OUCH! SCABBERS STOP!"  
  
"Rat?" Remus asked weakly.  
  
"His pet rat," Harry explained quickly.  
  
"Does he have a- a- a toe missing, by any chance?" Remus asked Harry, as Ron was still flailing around, attempting to find the rat who- quite suddenly- began squeaking and clawing Ron in an attempt twice as frantic as it was before.  
  
"No idea," Harry said.  
  
Remus almost smacked himself on the head. He snatched the map from the table.  
  
Looking over the library, Remus felt as though an extremely large block of ice had slipped into his stomach.  
  
At one side of the library was Madam Pince along with Hermione Granger. In amongst the shelves were a couple of students, but at their table, there were four names.  
  
Remus Lupin. . .  
  
Harry Potter. . .  
  
Ron Weasley. . .  
  
And Peter Pettigrew!  
  
Remus took out his wand, his arm shaking so badly that he could hardly aim it.  
  
"_Accio_ rat," He cried.  
  
A small rat came whizzing out of somewhere in Ron's robes and into Remus' hand.  
  
"AHA!" Remus screamed at the rat, "YOU STINKING PIECE OF FILTH! HE WAS INNOCENT! TELLING- THE- TRUTH!!!"  
  
Remus could feel tears of rage streaming down his face, and he guessed that he was most definitely scaring the boys.  
  
"Er- Moony? Mister Lupin?" Harry asked tentatively as Ron scrambled up from the ground, "What are you doing?"  
  
"Dumbledore!" Remus growled, shaking the rat.  
  
Harry and Ron looked at each other, confused.  
  
"We need to see the Headmaster. Bring the map." Remus said, more rationally, though his eyes were flashing dangerously and he still was shaking the flailing rat.  
  
"Alright. . ." Ron said, grabbing the map off the ground, where Remus had dropped it moments before.  
  
Remus, holding onto the rat by its tail, stormed out of the library and reached the Great Hall in record time, too furious to say anything.  
  
Throwing open the doors with a bang, Remus and the two Gryffindor (trying to be as subtle as possible) walked into the hall and up to the head table.  
  
Remus, brandishing the rat, walked up to Dumbledore and said in a remarkably calm voice, "I need to talk to you. Now. It is quite urgent."  
  
Dumbledore looked curiously at Harry and Ron (who shook their heads, bewildered), before nodding silently and they swept from the hall.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Thanks for all the lovely reviews! I feel so special! (lol)  
  
Oh, and reviewer Alanna: Remus didn't notice him there because he was looking in the Great Hall and he didn't notice him before because he didn't think the Rat would have hidden in Gryffindor tower even with his disguise. It's a big castle and if Remus had kept looking he would have found him, but he didn't think to look there right away. And as for after Harry said "Hey, Ron, there's someone in your stuff," I'll say that Ron conveniently leaned in the way so Remus couldn't see the map.  
  
:-)  
  
Now I'm off to work on the story some more.  
  
( 


	7. Of Watching Remus

DISCLAIMER: My sister wants to be a lawyer and it frightens me. Please don't threaten me with lawyers. I own nothing of import here (except maybe an idea or two)  
  
AN: I WILL keep updating, never fear.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Remus stomped down the hallway being careful to bump the rat he was holding on anything sticking out into the corridor.  
  
When they reached an empty classroom, Remus threw open the door and shot inside.  
  
When Harry, Ron and Dumbledore had entered the room Remus had finished looking over it for any eavesdroppers and putting a silencing charm on the door.  
  
"I've found him, Professor," Remus said, anger discernable in his calm voice.  
  
Professor Dumbledore smiled curiously.  
  
"I've found the Rat," Remus said.  
  
"That's my rat!" Ron said suddenly, finding his voice.  
  
"No," said Remus, "It's Peter."  
  
Albus Dumbledore, a slightly more curious and a little confused look in his eyes, asked, "Remus, is there something you forgot to mention to me?"  
  
Remus looked at the rat as if it had asked him the question, "Yes," Remus said coldly, "He's an animagus."  
  
The headmaster's eyes now held an appraising look, "I see. And James? Sirius?"  
  
"They were animagus too," said Remus, "James was a stag, Sirius a dog." Remus paused, "And Peter. . . THIS RAT!"  
  
Harry thought Dumbledore's eyes were as big as they would ever get on such an old and obviously important man.  
  
Remus was shaking the rat again.  
  
"Well, Remus, I assume you know the spell?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
Remus nodded.  
  
Harry and Ron were confused. . . still.  
  
((AN: hehehe, Harry and Ron are young and easily confused. I think that is funny, hehehe))  
  
"On three?" Remus asked.  
  
Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"One. . ." said Remus.  
  
"Two. . ." Dumbledore said in a strangely calm voice.  
  
"Three!" bellowed Remus.  
  
In less than a minute, Harry and Ron saw a short, balding man with a pointed face standing directly beneath Remus' hand. The man was ringing his hands and wheezing.  
  
"H- hello, R-Remus. D-Dumbledore." said the man, "S-so nice to s-see you."  
  
"Why hello, Mr. Pettigrew," said the headmaster, pleasantly.  
  
"You kn-know this is the s-strangest thing. . . you w-wouldn't believe it, b-but Sirius tried to place the b-blame on me," Pettigrew said, trembling.  
  
"He did?" asked Remus coolly.  
  
"Yes, but I'm innocent! Sirius B-Black did them all and wanted to b-blame me! I'm innocent!"  
  
"Why, then, did you decide to spend ten years as a rat?" Remus asked grimly.  
  
"I-I was afraid. Afraid the B-Betrayer would c-come after me. Would hurt me!"  
  
"He's in Azkaban, Peter," Remus said, coldly, "He was sent to Azkaban for the murders of a street full of muggles and you. He couldn't have come after you or hurt you."  
  
"B-but what if he was l-let out?"  
  
Remus made a dry sound that may have been mistaken for a laugh.  
  
"He was sentenced to lifetime in Azkaban. He wouldn't have been let out," he replied.  
  
"Then there was you, Remus. He would have persuaded you a-and had you hate me. Try to kill me. I was afraid you would kill me, Remus," his voice was so pitiful, Remus almost felt his heart loosen a little for the man. But then, ten years as a rat would be slightly less awful than ten years in Azkaban Prison.  
  
Remus sighed and looked at Dumbledore. The headmaster was still smiling, but Remus could see that his eyes were frowning.  
  
When he spoke, Dumbledore's voice was smooth and calm, "Mister Pettigrew, I regret to inform you that we shall have to escort you the Ministry of Magic as soon as possible to get this problem cleared up."  
  
Peter Pettigrew trembled, "A-alright, P-Professor D-Dumbledore. I'll go, but don't let them hurt me. P-please."  
  
"Don't worry, Peter. We will figure this out," Albus Dumbledore assured him, although there was a slightly dismayed sound in his voice.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sirius yawned.  
  
Drip.  
  
Drip.  
  
Drip.  
  
Life in Azkaban was much the same as usual.  
  
Drip.  
  
Drip.  
  
Sirius dipped his hand into the water and shivered at the cool feeling against his bare skin. Cupping his hand, he lifted the small amount of water up to his face and splashed it against him.  
  
Rejoicing in the change from the ordinary, Sirius ran his hands through his matted hair and grinned manically.  
  
Drip.  
  
Drip.  
  
Drip.  
  
Laying down on the ground, Sirius wondered what Remus was doing, and whether he had found any sign of the Rat yet. It was almost time for the full moon (each of the Marauders had a calendar of sorts engrained in their minds from their school days) and Sirius couldn't help thinking, once again, that poor Remus- Moony- would have to suffer it by himself.  
  
Drip.  
  
Drip.  
  
Drip.  
  
Suddenly restless, Sirius sat up and closed his eyes. He forced his mind into the form of a great black dog. With a small popping sound, Padfoot sat where Sirius Black had been moments before.  
  
Strangely anxious and with nothing else to do, the great black dog that was Sirius Black paced.  
  
Step, step, step.  
  
Turn.  
  
Step, step, step.  
  
Turn.  
  
Step, step, step.  
  
Turn.  
  
The dog was agitated. Strangely he didn't dwell on hunger (he hadn't eaten for about a week) or boredom- only the disquieted feeling he had.  
  
Drip.  
  
Drip.  
  
Drip.  
  
Step, step, step.  
  
Turn.  
  
The dog stopped and turned toward the small puddle that was continually growing in the corner of his cell.  
  
Cocking his head for a moment, the dog approached the bit of water.  
  
He growled.  
  
There was something moving in the depths of the puddle.  
  
Leaning closer and, with another popping sound turning again into the man, moving his hair out of his way with a hand, he could make out the figures.  
  
From a view above a dark corridor, Sirius saw a person he knew he would know anywhere.  
  
Remus was standing in the dark hallway next to two boys who looked remarkably alike. 'In fact,' Sirius thought, 'I'm quite sure they're twins.'  
  
Less than three drips later, Remus had taken a piece of parchment from them and, leaving them staring at him from behind, walked away. He stopped only once to say something to the twins but what it was, Sirius couldn't tell: the water didn't give sound.  
  
'Am I going crazy?' Sirius wondered, 'I didn't think I would start seeing crazy things like this before I died. . . or maybe,' he thought, disgusted, 'maybe mother was right and the Blacks do have some talent in the scrying field.'  
  
The convict frowned, thinking of his mother, but then turned his attention back to the puddle.  
  
Sirius watched as the figure of Remus Lupin walked into the library and situated himself on a small table far away from anyone else.  
  
3243 drips later another figure approached the table in the library. For a while the other figure stared at Remus as if waiting for a response of any kind, but he was sadly mistaken. Not long after, the second figure disappeared out of the library.  
  
626 more drips later, Remus moved. He pulled out his wand and made to touch the parchment with his wand, but stopped before he did.  
  
After another couple drips, Remus stood up and swept from the library and down numerous halls before reaching another pair of figures.  
  
Sirius, having been balanced precariously on the balls of his feet, went toppling over in shock.  
  
When he righted himself he saw Remus conversing with a boy who looked similar to the twins (perhaps a bit less stocky- a bit more gangly) and another who- Sirius had no doubt whatsoever- was James Potter's son. Harry Potter.  
  
The convict smiled briefly, but then, realizing his mistake, stopped and cleared his mind.  
  
'I'm innocent. It was Peter. I'm innocent.'  
  
The dementors were coming.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Seems as good a place as any to end it. I dunno how long it'll take for me to update again.  
  
Reviews always help speed the process 'cause then I know what I'm doin wrong, and sometimes they give me ideas.  
  
Now I'm not hinting anything, but. . . 


	8. Of Cold Cells

DISCLAIMER: Still sitting here owning nothing.  
  
AN: Sorry for the delay, I've had a lot on my mind. Here's the next chapter (ten pages, ya'll happy?)  
  


* * *

  
Remus drew a deep breath. Professor Dumbledore had everything under control. There was no need to worry. Pettigrew would be tried in court in two weeks.  
  
When they had gone to the Ministry, the first thing they did was show Pettigrew to everyone and anyone who was near. By the time they found the Head of Magical Law Enforcement, she had already found out about the newly- living person, floating around the halls.  
  
Dumbledore had persuaded her, and Pettigrew, without much difficult, that they needed to have a trial as soon as possible.  
  
The Rat, thinking Dumbledore and Remus were on his side (Remus expected), had readily agreed.  
  
After everything that had happened, Remus' mind was on automatic and he was mostly in shock. Whenever he saw anything remotely relevant to any of the events of the previous few weeks, he would start to shake and not be able to make an intelligible sentence for a few minutes.  
  
Unfortunately for him, the full moon was fast approaching, and he was slowly becoming weaker. Every night, on Dumbledore's orders, Remus would drink a goblet full of potion that '_Professor_ Snape' had concocted for him.  
  
This particular night, Harry and Ron had planned on visiting and Remus was slowly drinking his tea while waiting (he had already had his vile potion earlier that night). They had become regular visitors to his room (a spare one on the East side of the castle) ever since Ron had found out that his rat, which had been living with his family for ten years, was actually a person. A person, no less, who seemed to be mistrusted and perhaps even hated by his best friend's father's friend.  
  
Remus Lupin didn't even notice when the two boys had entered the room. He was slowly reviewing the few facts he had- and some he thought he'd had.  
  
'A street full of muggles. Didn't see what they thought they saw. Peter Pettigrew. . . alive. Sirius in Azkaban for ten years. Ronald Weasley's pet rat. The Potter's Secret-Keeper. 'It was the Rat,' Sirius had said.'  
  
"Er. . . Moony? Remus?" Ron said tentatively.  
  
Remus dropped his tea cup, which shattered on the ground.  
  
The bushy-haired girl from the library was standing in between Ron and Harry and, with a wave of her wand, she cleaned up the mess and fixed the cup.  
  
Remus muttered his thanks.  
  
"It's absolutely no problem whatsoever, Mister. . . er. . ." the girl looked at Ron for help.  
  
'Lupin!' Ron mouthed.  
  
"Mister Lupin," the girl said.  
  
Remus stood up weakly and walked over to the children, looking them over.  
  
The girl trembled, Ron smiled at Remus, and Harry showed little emotion of any kind.  
  
Remus realized that it was Harry's first year at Hogwarts and he should really be concentrating on his work and not on Remus' problems.  
  
"Harry-" he started, but Harry cut him off.  
  
"Remus, we've been meaning to talk to you a bit more about Ron's- er- pet rat."  
  
Remus nodded, gravely and motioned to two chairs at the other side of the room.  
  
Harry and Ron sat down on the chairs, and Remus sat on the bed. The girl- Hermione Granger wasn't it?- stood, unmoving where Harry and Ron had left her.  
  
Remus pulled out his wand and muttered the spell that would conjure a chair. Soon Hermione, without having realized what was going on, was seated in a small wooden chair next to Ron.  
  
"What is it you need to know?" Remus asked, quietly.  
  
"Who, exactly, was that? That rat?" Harry asked.  
  
"Wormtail," Remus said, shortly.  
  
"Wormtail," Ron repeated, "the Wormtail on the map?"  
  
Remus nodded.  
  
"And he's Wormtail because his tail looks like a worm," Ron stated, wisely, comprehension creasing his face.  
  
"Oh, well spotted," Hermione Granger said, finding her voice.  
  
"Is he not your friend anymore?" Ron asked Remus.  
  
"I don't know," Remus sighed, "I don't know what to think anymore."  
  
Harry looked up at Remus and asked, "Why is Padfoot not your friend anymore?"  
  
Remus looked at Harry searchingly and said, "I used to think it was him who- " he stopped and started again, "Have you ever heard of the Fidelius Charm?"  
  
Ron and Harry shook their heads, but Hermione Granger said, "I think I read about that one, is it the one where no one can tell something about you?"  
  
"Mostly," Remus said, "It's where the secret (in your parent's case, Harry, the location of the place they were living) is hidden inside a single mortal soul. That person is called the Secret-Keeper. The only way anyone could possibly have fond out their location would be if the Secret-Keeper told them willingly."  
  
"And you think, wait, you're not sure whether it was this Padfoot person or Ron's rat, right? No one told you?" Hermione said.  
  
Remus nodded, "I went to visit Sirius Black- Padfoot- in Azkaban, the Wizard Prison, just before school started; I went to ask him why he betrayed them, but he denied it. He said it was Peter. He said it was the Rat."  
  
"And you don't know who to believe." Harry said.  
  
"You've got the measure of it pretty well."  
  
"Isn't- isn't being an Animagus illegal?" Hermione asked tentatively.  
  
"Not if you get a license, but none of my friends had licenses, so, yes, it is illegal."  
  
"Let's go over this again, ok? Harry's dad was Prongs and he could turn into a stag illegally, Scabbers is Peter Pettigrew and an illegal rat and Wormtail, your other friend is Sirius Black who's in Azkaban for a crime he MAY have committed, but maybe not, and he was an illegal animal too," said Ron.  
  
"Dog wasn't it?" asked Harry.  
  
Remus nodded.  
  
"And you were- erm- you are Moony," Ron continued.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Do you change into an animal?" Ron asked curiously.  
  
Remus shivered, "In a manner of speaking, yes."  
  
Hermione's voice was very close to silent when she spoke, "It- it wouldn't be a w-wolf, would it?"  
  
Remus turned to look at the girl, who began to tremble afresh.  
  
"Yes," said Remus, sadly, almost bitterly, "I'm a werewolf."  
  
Remus looked up at the trio of first-years standing in front of him. He was startled to see that none of them looked like they were scared of him. Hermione looked as though she were terribly afraid that she had hurt Remus' feelings, Ron appeared to be thinking very deeply, and Harry didn't seem to see the importance of his being a werewolf in the slightest.  
  
"Well," said Ron, "I dunno about you guys, but I am extremely interested in the innocence or guilt of my rat."  
  
"I want to figure this out too, Moony," said Harry, "I want to find out who killed my parents."  
  
"So do I, Harry, so do I," Remus replied.  
  
"Why don't we, then?" asked Hermione, "Why don't we interrogate the one in Azkaban?"  
  
Remus frowned, "I don't think it's a good idea to take you three out of school."  
  
Hermione looked horrified.  
  
"No! That's not what I meant," she insisted, "We could go next weekend, that way we wouldn't miss any classes."  
  
"Er-" said Remus.  
  
"No, that's too close to the full moon," Hermione corrected herself.  
  
"What about the weekend after?" said Harry.  
  
"I don't think-" began Remus, but this time Ron cut him off.  
  
"Yeah! I bet that'll work!"  
  
Dumbledore won't go for it, though," said Harry.  
  
"We can persuade him!" Hermione said eagerly, "He'll understand, he's got to!"  
  
"I don't know about this..." Remus said.  
  
"It *will* work!" said Ron, "Let's go talk to Dumbledore right now!"  
  
With that Ron and Harry turned and left the room, Remus and Hermione staring after them.  
  
"They just love to take chances," said Hermione haughtily, "Ever since the day Harry made the Quidditch team."  
  
"What?" Remus asked, startled. But then, of course James' son would be on the team.  
  
"Oh, you won't believe it," Hermione said, "During broomstick practice, Neville broke his arm after falling off his broom and had to go to the Hospital wing with Madam Hooch. Just that morning he had gotten a Rememberall from his Gran, but when he fell of his broom, he . One of the boys in Slytherin, called Draco Malfoy, grabbed it off the ground and got on his broom intending on leaving it in a tree where Neville couldn't get it."  
  
"Neville?" Remus asked, "What's his last name?"  
  
"Longbottom," Said Hermione.  
  
"Oh." Remus said softly, "I knew his parents."  
  
"Erm- ok. Anyway, Malfoy challenged Harry to come and get it, and Harry got on his broom FOR THE FIRST TIME and chased Malfoy until he threw the Rememberall. Then, you won't believe this, Harry went shooting down after it and right before he hit the ground, he grabbed it and was able to pull up from his dive before he hit the ground! It was absolutely amazing!"  
  
"Yes," Remus nodded, "His father was a Chaser on the Gryffindor team. I assume Harry is a Seeker?"  
  
"Yeah, McGonagall gave us all a scare when she saw him and said 'Follow me.' The next time we saw him was at dinner, and Malfoy began taunting him. Then I overheard him challenging Harry to a duel to take place in the middle of the night in the Trophy Room. Ron said he was Harry's second and Malfoy picked his.  
  
"I tried to stop them from doing something so reckless, but they went anyway. I had a bit of misfortune, so I had to go with them. Oh, and Neville was there too. He had gotten locked out. I suspected it would all be a trick and Malfoy would trick them, and I was right. When we got to the Trophy Room we met Filch and Mrs. Norris instead of Malfoy and his friend. Luckily we escaped to another room. Unluckily we escaped into a room with a vicious three-headed dog in it, that was standing on a trap door. Now both Harry and Ron seem very keen on having another adventure."  
  
"Merlin, he is like his father," Remus stated.  
  
"Well, I don't approve of it," sniffed Hermione, "although it was rather interesting, I would rather not repeat the experience."  
  
"Alright, then."  
  
"Erm- Remus? Shouldn't we go after Ron and Harry and help them convince Dumbledore?"  
  
"Actually, Hermione, I still don't know if that's such a good idea, taking you three to Azkaban. There are dementors there."  
  
"What are dementors?" Hermione wondered.  
  
"Dementors are the foulest of creatures. If you are in their presence they drain the happiness from the air around you. You feel cold. If given the chance they'll do worse than kill you."  
  
"W-worse than kill?"  
  
"They can suck out your soul. You can live without your soul, you see, but it's not pleasant. The heart keeps beating, they can breathe, but they aren't themselves anymore. They exist as an empty shell.  
  
Hermione shivered, "And they lock people in the same building as those dementors?"  
  
"Yes," said Remus, "Sirius Black has been living in a tiny cell, not five feet across, for ten years now. Every day the dementors patrol past, or stand outside the cells, draining the happiness from the prisoners, draining their sanity."  
  
"Th-that's awful! Does anyone deserve that kind of treatment?"  
  
"For what he did, I think he does deserve it," replied Remus.  
  
"But you don't know for sure it was him," Hermione pointed out, cautiously, "It could be the Rat person."  
  
"I know," said Remus, rubbing his temples, "I'm just not sure what to think."  
  
"So let's go help Ron and Harry persuade the Headmaster!"  
  


* * *

  
Sirius awoke on the floor of his cell. It was cold.  
  
He remembered the dementors coming, but then he had passed out. He hadn't had the strength to resist them, since he hadn't eaten for six days.  
  
Sirius tried to move his hands and legs, but found they were too numb to respond. Sitting up, he shook his arms out and tried to get some blood flowing through them. He rubbed his hands until the pins-and-needles feeling filled them, which was good enough for him, and then he started on his legs.  
  
He hated this place. Hated it almost as much as he hated Pettigrew.  
  
'I hope Remus catches him soon!' Sirius thought, bitterly.  
  
Suddenly, the animagus remembered why the dementors had come after him, and Sirius turned toward the puddle he had been looking at the day before. At first glance there was nothing to suggest that anything out of the ordinary would have happened because of, or near it.  
  
When he leaned closer, however, Sirius realized that again there was something moving in the bottom of the puddle. Upon closer examination, Sirius realized that, again the water was showing him his old friend, Remus Lupin.  
  
Sirius made it to the other side of the room in one small step and sat cross-legged beside the pool.  
  
Unlike the first time, Sirius thought he may have been able to hear something, despite the fact that he could see very little in the dark cell.  
  
From what he could see, Sirius thought there were five people in the room that was in the puddle. One- he was sure- was Remus, another he recognized as the headmaster of Hogwarts; Albus Dumbledore. A smaller one standing next to Dumbledore, Sirius guessed, was the reason he had passed out before- James' son.  
  
Who the other two children were, Sirius didn't know. It was much too dark to tell their hair color or any facial expressions- Sirius hadn't a clue how he had identified Harry and Dumbledore- but he could tell that they were around Harry's height.  
  
'...think...never...but then again...'  
  
Sirius strained his ears, and tried to block out the sound of the continuous drips.  
  
'...please...good...really far...with my studies...'  
  
'...true, Professor...obsessed...help us if we fall behind...'  
  
'...will take good care of them...don't know... persuaded me to persuade you...'  
  
Sirius' heart beat was too loud- he couldn't hear all of the sentences.  
  
'When...say you wanted to...-aban?'  
  
'-kend after next.'  
  
'I see.'  
  
'So... let us?'  
  
'I must... McGonagall and perhaps... but there is... chance.'  
  
Sirius tried to think what in Merlin's name they were talking about, but he hadn't heard enough of the conversation to tell exactly.  
  


* * *

  
"I'm glad that's over," said Harry, as he, Ron and Hermione made their way up to the Gryffindor common room.  
  
"I don't believe how easily Dumbledore gave in!" exclaimed Ron.  
  
"I, for one, could tell that he wasn't going to put up much of a fight. He obviously trusts Mr. Lupin and he knows we'll be careful," Hermione stated matter-of-factly.  
  
"We still don't know if we'll be able to go, for sure," said Harry.  
  
"Yeah, but it's pretty likely, isn't it?" said Ron, "I mean, he can't not let us go."  
  
"Of course he'll let us go," Hermione said, certainly.  
  
"I've a question for you, Hermione," said Ron irritably, "Weren't you not talking to us?"  
  
"Well... yes, but I _was_ very curious," Hermione paused, blushing slightly as they opened the portrait hole, "about who that man was, if he wasn't a teacher. I mean, do you know how many adults are usually in the castle during the school year? I read in-"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Ms. I-know-everything-because-I've-read-every-book-I- could-find, we know how much you know," Ron said, grinning. The bushy- haired girl grew quite red.  
  
"Oi, you three, where've you been?" said a loud voice from the corner of the room. Harry, Ron and Hermione turned to see Fred and George sitting there.  
  
"Oh, hello," said Ron, "we were just talking to a friend."  
  
"What kind of friend? One that isn't in Gryffindor?"  
  
"No, he was in Gryffindor, he just isn't now," said Harry.  
  
"Our brother and his friends were consorting with the enemy?" said one of the twins in outrage.  
  
"He isn't that much of an adult," retorted Ron, "He's really nice."  
  
"His name is..." said George, waving his arms, waiting for an answer.  
  
"His name is Remus Lupin," said Ron, "Or Moony, if you'd like  
  
Fred and George exchanged significant glances, "Is that who you've been hanging out with?" Fred asked.  
  
Harry nodded slowly.  
  
"Isn't he a bit... strange?" George asked, Fred kicked him.  
  
"Well, yes, I suppose, but he- hey, where'd Hermione go?" Ron asked suddenly.  
  
"Dunno," said Harry, looking around the Common Room.  
  
"Library," said a voice, shortly in Harry's ear. He turned to see Lavender Brown standing behind him and Ron, her arms folded around a little diary, "She tried to get your attention to tell you, but you wouldn't listen so she told me."  
  
"Oh, ok," said Harry turning back to the twins.  
  


* * *

  
It was the most brilliant idea!  
  
She couldn't think of any way it would go wrong- if only she could get a teacher's note  
  


* * *

  
To busy hurrying down the hall to the library, Hermione didn't notice the other person walking determinately in the opposite direction until it was to late.  
  
Remus Lupin, unfortunately, didn't stop in time, either.  
  
"S-sorry," Hermione gasped, getting up from the floor.  
  
"It's quite all right, Hermione," Remus said, finding some leverage by pushing off the wall. When they were both balanced again, Remus said, "Where was it you were going in such a hurry?"  
  
"Library," Hermione said, "You?"  
  
"I was- oh, never mind, that's not important. I'll go with you to the library, I ought to look up some things before we make our trip to the prison in a week-and-a-half."  
  
"Well, then," said Hermione, suddenly straightening up, "Let's go do some research in the library! Come on, Remus."  
  
The first-year Gryffindor girl stood up and grabbed Remus' hand, dragging him through the hallway, and then set off at a quick pace, to her favorite haunt.  
  


* * *

  
I would appreciate reviews, as I like to know what I'm doing wrong so I can fix it.  
  
But I guess, if you don't want to, I'm not gonna force you. 


	9. Of Prongs

DISCLAIMER: I wish I owned Sirius and Remus, but sadly I don't. I don't own any of the Pirates of the Caribbean either (not that that has to do with anything, but... I really wish I did!)  
  
AN: Sorry for the long wait. I have some of the next chapter written so no worries.  
  
AN: IF ANYONE WANTS TO KNOW, THIS CHAPTER IS KINDA BIZARRE AND FREAKY, SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE STORIES LIKE THIS, I'M SORRY! There is a huge twist and it makes the story more interesting, but also a lot more weird.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Seated at a large table, surrounded by piles and piles of books, Remus and Hermione were silent. The silence was broken only by the occasional rustle of a page being turned.  
  
Remus was perusing a book entitled, "More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Lethifolds,' and Hermione was reading one called, "Your Only Collection of One-Hundred-Forty-Eight Spells to Get What You Want From Someone Who Doesn't Want to Help You."  
  
Hermione moved her finger down the page, marking her place.  
  
There was silence for a long while, before Remus let out a loud groan.  
  
"What is it?" Hermione asked, looking up from her book.  
  
"Nothing, really, just that Sirius was right," Remus sighed, "listen to this:  
  
"'Like Dementors, the Lethifold can be driven away adequately by one thing- the Patronous Charm. More information on the charm on page 384," Remus, who had his finger marking the said page, turned to it and continued reading, "The Patronous Charm resides in a difficult branch of magic that is complicated even for some of the more advanced witches and wizards.  
  
'One reason the Patronous Charm is so tricky, is that it is difficult to practice. After you get the basics of the spell, and can produce something with no Lethifolds or Dementors present, then you must find one of the creatures and perform the spell on them.  
  
'Like many spells of this type, the Patronous Charm is different for each witch or wizard. They generally take the shape of non-magical animals, but there was a reported case of a Patronous in the shape of a Acromantula in 1976. The shape each Patronous takes depends entirely on what the witch or wizard is most dutifully shielded by. It has been proven, of late, by no less than the great wizard Merle McGreal, that when some people reach a certain stage, and are frightened of or rely on different things, their magic can reflect that.  
  
'"The Patronous charm is one of those things," Merle said at one time, "It happened to me when I'd left school and had seen some of the world. The next time I met a dementor, my Patronous was in the shape of a great eagle, instead of being a camel, as it was when I first learned the spell."  
  
'This has cleared up the previous disputes regarding...'" Remus began mumbling incoherently as he skimmed the rest that was written on that page, "Yeah, the rest is just information," he said.  
  
"And that was what..." Hermione began.  
  
"That's what Sirius said," Remus moaned, "He said my Patronous would have changed form if the magical bonds between us weren't whole and strong, even if I didn't believe he was a true friend to Lily and James and me."  
  
"Oh, my," Hermione said, placing this information in the back of her mind to debate and turn over later.  
  
"There was something else too, that he said, that I wasn't sure about... but what was it?" Remus continued, scratching his chin, thoughtfully.  
  
"Erm, was it about the dementors, again?" Hermione asked.  
  
"No, I think it had to do with Sirius," Remus said.  
  
"He was talking about himself?" Hermione wondered.  
  
"I think so," Remus replied, a vague, unaware look in his eyes.  
  
Hermione watched Remus stare blankly in front of himself for a few more minutes before she turned back to her book, and continued looking up spells to help them get the truth out of Sirius Black.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"No! Don't fall for it Jame- Harry! He's tricking you! If you do that then he'll be able to..." Sirius pounded his head in frustration as Harry moved his knight to capture the bishop of the red-haired boy he'd been playing chess with for the last hour.  
  
"Now he's three moves away from checkmate!" Sirius moaned in frustration. And it seemed he was quite right, for not two minutes later, the boy (who Sirius called Weasley, for he knew it was a Weasley) was leaning back in his chair, crossing his arms and grinning stupidly at Harry, as the later examined the board from all angles.  
  
It seemed Harry had made a loud noise then, because many young students (Sirius was glad to see they were all wearing Gryffindor robes) then began to look around at the two chess-players and some even approached the game cautiously and gestured in questioning ways.  
  
Sirius sighed. So like James' son to lose so badly to a Weasley.  
  
Later Sirius would wonder why no dementors had come running- or, actually, more likely _gliding_- while that had been happening.  
  
For a few minutes, Sirius watched the Gryffindor common room in silence, then he began to find he was loosing interest in the hubbub.  
  
"I wonder what Remus is doing right now..." Sirius said, dully.  
  
With the next drip that fell, Sirius realized that the puddle was changing from the maroon colors of the Gryffindor common room to the neutral gray of the Hogwarts library. Sirius' jaw dropped.  
  
"I can see whatever I want!"  
  
The puddle went black. It didn't even reflect the stone in the room, or Sirius' face. It just went black.  
  
"Sorry! I- I didn't mean to offend you or-or anything! I really want to see what Remus is doing, please?"  
  
The puddle rippled, in an irritated way (Sirius scratched his head at the absurdness of it all- Sirius Black was apologizing to a PUDDLE!!!) and gradually turned back to the gray colors of the library.  
  
"Er- thanks," Sirius said, leaning over the puddle and squinting to see Remus.  
  
The puddle, sensing that he wanted to know what Remus was reading, made the image larger, until Sirius could see the words. Then the convict realized that Remus was simply holding the book open and staring into space, instead of reading it. Curious, Sirius read the top of the left-hand page and suddenly understood.  
  
"Humph! Maybe next time you'll believe me," he said, grinning to himself.  
  
The puddle rippled again, questioningly and it's picture changed to an extreme close-up of the end of a sentence that someone was writing on a piece of parchment. Sirius understood the punctuation mark and addressed the puddle, saying "He didn't believe me when I told him that a person's patronus could change forms. He just looked it up and I was right!"  
  
The puddle's picture slid to another letter that the same person was writing, "O,"  
  
Sirius grinned, "I've- erm- never talked to a puddle before... do you have a name?"  
  
The puddle rippled angrily and showed new letters in such quick succession that Sirius was just able to catch what they were before it moved on to the next one.  
  
"P-U-D-D-L-E-!-?"  
  
"Er- you aren't a puddle?"  
  
"N-O-!"  
  
"What, er, I mean, who are you, then?"  
  
The puddle answered Sirius' question with one of it's own.  
  
"W-H-O--A-R-E--*Y-O-U*-?"  
  
"Can't you see me? You can see whatever you want."  
  
"N-O-!--W-H-O--A-R-E--Y-O-U?" The Puddle demanded.  
  
"Sirius Black. Pleased to make your acquaintance," Sirius said in his most charming voice.  
  
The puddle went black for a few seconds.  
  
Sirius sat quietly for the same period of time.  
  
"Erm- Puddle?" he finally said, "I mean, whoever you are... are you there? Because I- argh!"  
  
The puddle suddenly turned bright. Numerous different colors began swimming around, eagerly. The starburst of bright color, had Sirius seeing little white lights blinking in front of his eyes. He rubbed them and looked back at the water.  
  
"ARE- -YOU- -REAL-L-Y- -S-I-R-I-US-?"  
  
"Yes. Who are you again? I'm just a tad confused." Sirius told the puddle.  
  
"JAMES," the puddle showed.  
  
Sirius choked, "J-James? Not to be rude, but- aren't you kind of...dead?"  
  
"YES," the puddle showed.  
  
"Erm, do you know why you're a... a puddle?"  
  
"A- -PUDDLE-?- -I-M- -A- -PUDDLE-?"  
  
"Well, sort of. Whatever you're seeing, I'm seeing inside this little puddle in the corner of my cell."  
  
"W-E-L-L-,- -ONE- -MINUTE- -I- -WAS- -WITH- -L-I-L-Y- -IN- -A- -VERY- -STRANGE- -PLACE- -AND- -THEN- -I- -COULD-N-T- -SEE- -HER- -,- -ONLY- -REMUS- -.- -I- -WATCHED- -HIM- -FOR- -A- -LONG- -TIME- -AND- -THEN- -HARRY- -BUT- -I- -COULD-N-T- -HEAR- -ANYTHING- -AND- -THEY- -" James stopped forming words with other people's letters and the puddle, once again, went black.  
  
"J-James?" Sirius asked tentatively, "You still there?"  
  
Suddenly, the puddle flashed back into life, zipping around so fast that Sirius couldn't identify any of what it was showing, except that it was mostly gray.  
  
An angry sound came from the puddle and it echoed loudly all around the tiny cell.  
  
Sirius covered his ears, "What are you yelling about?!" He shouted.  
  
The convict wasn't quite sure at the time, but later he was positive that he heard the same voice that had haunted his dreams for ten years screaming unintelligibly.  
  
After the echoes died down, Sirius looked down at the puddle, and was surprised to see the top of his own head. He looked up, but could see nothing.  
  
"Why is it showing me?!" the convict demanded of his dead friend.  
  
For the first time since October of ten years previous, Sirius heard James Potter say something, and it wasn't pretty. "WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME IS THIS ALL ABOUT?! SIRIUS BLACK, WHY ON EARTH ARE YOU LOCKED IN A CELL IN **((AZKABAN))**?!"  
  
"I- I- I didn't mean to..." Sirius stammered.  
  
"WELL IT'S OBVIOUS YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO!"  
  
"I mean, I didn't get a trial, so it's not like I could do anything about it..."  
  
"WHAT?!" James' voice roared, causing Sirius to jump near a foot in the air, "TELL ME, SIRIUS!!! WHY ARE YOU IN AZKABAN?"  
  
"I- they- you- the ministry- er- and Dumbledore- they all- I mean to say- no one- they all thought it was me and, er, there weren't any witnesses or anything, except for the ones in the street that Peter-er- killed- and- er- " Sirius said quickly.  
  
"Peter did WHAT?!" James' voice roared.  
  
"He, er, sold you to Voldemort," Sirius started.  
  
"I know that one, anything ELSE?!"  
  
"Er I cornered him in a street, but before I could get my wand out he yelled for the whole street to know that *I'd* betrayed Jame- er I mean you and Lily and then he sort-of blew the street apart and killed all the muggles around him. Then he turned into a rat and scurried away."  
  
"And?" James prompted.  
  
"I really couldn't do much. The hit-wizards came and took me here. Obviously Dumbledore thought I'd been your secret-keeper, so I really didn't have a chance."  
  
"Remus, though, surely Remus believes you, I mean, he knows that you would never... SIRIUS, TELL ME REMUS DOESN'T HATE YOU TOO!?!?" James' voice demanded, angrily.  
  
"I wish I could, but- erm, James- I can't." Sirius said, sadly.  
  
"Oh, god, Sirius. What have I done?" James' voice cried, "How long have you been in here?" it demanded.  
  
"Ten years."  
  
"TEN YEARS?!"  
  
"Calm down, Prongsie, no one's been hurt, here, okay? I'm perfectly alright. A little bored and a tad lonely, but then again, Remus did come and visit me almost a month ago," Sirius said, then added to himself, "In fact, it's almost the full moon now. I wish I could be with him."  
  
The drip that was threatening to fall into the pool suddenly did so, and caused the whole puddle to jump out at Sirius.  
  
"GAH! PRONGS?! Whad'ya do that for?!" Sirius sputtered, falling backwards, sopping wet. He shook out his hair in a doglike manner.  
  
A voice sounded from outside his door, "Barking mad, in here. All of them!"  
  
"Just a minute, James," Sirius said, jumping up and pushing his wet hair out of his face.  
  
"Er, excuse me," he said to the man standing directly outside his cell, and then Sirius saw who it was.  
  
Holding his temper, the convict said, "Hello, minister, how terribly un- monotonous to see you. What brings you to Azkaban?"  
  
Fudge, obviously startled that Sirius was talking rationally, just stared at the prisoner for a while. He made to move on, when Sirius stopped him.  
  
"Wait, please, minister," he said in his most even and sane voice, "I am simply curious to know why you sent me to this lovely place," Sirius said, waving his hand around behind him to take in his small cell, "without a trial."  
  
The minister's face held a look of repulsion when he answered, slightly unwillingly, "Well, we didn't really need a trial now, did we? Dumbledore knew you were the secret keeper, after all, and there were a street-full of witnesses that saw you murder those muggles," Sirius thought it curious that the Minister of Magic didn't mention the wizard he'd 'Murdered,' "There was no way you could have weaseled your way out of punishment even if you had gotten a trial."  
  
"But, minister-"  
  
"Yes, Black isn't it?, you would try to get out now after ten years, but I'm afraid you've got a lifetime sentence. That means no bail!" the Minister of Magic ended his speech in such a gleeful voice that Sirius pulled away from the bars, completely disgusted.  
  
"Yes, be afraid, mister Black, be _very_ afraid!" he said, his eyes glittering seemingly completely enjoying the way the conversation was now going.  
  
"No, it's just, I never knew you were partial to putting INNOCENT MEN in PRISON for no good REASON!"  
  
Fudge turned around and began walking away.  
  
"Wait!" Sirius called after him again. The minister turned to face the prisoner again, "I was just wondering if you have a newspaper on you?"  
  
The minister raised his eyebrows.  
  
"I quite miss doing the crosswords," he said, as if it were quite an obvious answer to Fudge's unasked question.  
  
The minister sniffed, "No, I don't carry such trivial items into Azkaban with me!"  
  
"Then what's that?" Sirius asked, pointing to the Fudge's pocket, where a black-and-white wizard photo was showing.  
  
"Oh, that? That's a- it's a, erm..."  
  
"Well, can I have it?" Sirius asked, hopefully.  
  
Luckily for Sirius, the minister seemed to be in quite a hurry to leave and threw the paper at the cell and practically ran away.  
  
Sirius squeezed two of his fingers through the bars and snatched the Daily Prophet before it fell to the ground. Very carefully, and after a long period of time during which much twisting and pinching occurred, Sirius managed to get the paper into his cell.  
  
"Look what I got, look what I got," he sang, waving the paper at the pool of water.  
  
"Wonderful," James' voice said, with no emotion except a hint of sarcasm, "You said no one's been hurt, did you? I would call the way you're acting a little unordinary at the very least."  
  
"Shut up, Horn-head!" Sirius snapped, playfully at his dead friend.  
  
"I can't, it's in my blood not to."  
  
"Sure, whatever you say," Sirius said, examining the first newspaper he'd had for ten years, with pretend interest, ignoring James just to irk him.  
  
After a few minutes, pretending to read the front page of the paper and not taking in a word of it, Sirius flung it to the ground and walked over to the puddle, which was still showing the top of Sirius' own head.  
  
"James, I have a question," Sirius said, quietly.  
  
James was stunned. It was so strange to hear Sirius Black so calm and collected; so serious.  
  
"Go ahead, Padfoot."  
  
"Do-do either you or Lily... erm... Do you-"  
  
James understood perfectly, "Sirius Black!" he snapped so sharply that, again, it sent Sirius flying a foot into the air, "Don't you *dare* blame yourself for Lily and me dying! It was NOT your fault! We chose to change secret-keepers! If you blame anyone but Peter and Voldemort, I swear I will find a way to slap you!" Then as an afterthought James added, "Or at least splash you. And I promise you won't come away dry!"  
  
"James," Sirius sighed, "I was being serious. I want to know."  
  
"I know how much you blame yourself, Padfoot, I know you better than that. Neither Lily nor I blame you for what happened."  
  
"You-you sure?" Sirius said.  
  
"Are you saying you don't trust my word?" James said, completely serious.  
  
"But, James-"  
  
"No 'buts,' Padfoot. I swear I'll splash you!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
AN: A little weird? Yeah, I thought so. A little too weird? I would appreciate if you would tell me.  
  
Reviews containing suggestions or comments are welcome. *grins*  
  
^__^ 


	10. Of Padfoot

DISCLAIMER: Owning nothing here. I am just borrowing these characters and settings and I promise I will give them back again. Oh, yeah, and I don't own the PotC, yet again, though I wish I did.  
  
AN: Sorry it took me so long to update, but I've been really busy with finals and such. I will try to write more soon.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"When are we going to start learning the spells, professor?" Hermione asked Professor Flitwick during charms one day.  
  
"Not for another week, Miss Granger."  
  
"Oh," she replied, slightly downcast. Ron snickered, not quite managing to muffle it before Hermione turned around and glared at him.  
  
She ignored him, then, but addressed Harry, "I don't know about you, Harry, but I want to know how to do _some_ magic before we go to that dementor infested prison!"  
  
Ron's hand dropped from his mouth, realization danced across his face, and he became quite pale, "D-dementors?" he said, terror written all over him.  
  
"Dementors?" Harry also wondered, completely nonplused, "What is a-"  
  
"Mister Potter, please refrain from speaking in my class. I am trying to explain the complications of..." but Harry didn't hear what he said next, he was too interested in what Hermione was writing.  
  
'Remus said,' she wrote, 'that dementors are foul creatures that guard Azkaban. They make everything feel cold and if they can they'll suck out your soul!'  
  
'How?' Harry wrote on the parchment, still slightly confused.  
  
'I'm not sure, but Remus said that you could live without your soul, you can exist but not feel or respond to anything. He said it is worse than being killed,' Hermione wrote quickly.  
  
Harry just sat, stunned, staring at Professor Flitwick for the rest of the class, but not really seeing him at all.  
  
Someone could have their soul sucked out and still live?! And they made people live in the same place as those dementors? This was such an awful thought, that Harry started looking forward to the visit to the prison. That man might not have been the reason his parents had died, and even if he had, no one deserved to be locked in some place like that!  
  
Harry found, during the course of that class, that no matter how hard he tried, something was preventing him from believing it _was_ this Sirius Black person who betrayed his parents to their death.  
  
((AN: I kinda think that Harry is a bit more willing to forgive in his first year, in case ya'll were wondering why he seemed so out of character. Also, I don't want Harry to hate Padfoot before he's had a chance to meet him. Sorry 'bout that.))  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
'Aha,' Remus thought. He had just woken up from a very vivid dream of what had taken place in Azkaban almost a month ago.  
  
Standing up from the armchair he'd positioned next to the fireplace in his temporary room, the werewolf rubbed the sleep from his eyes.  
  
Since it was still early evening, Remus had no problem with leaving his room to roam the castle, so he did.  
  
Snatching his wand from the table, Remus Lupin hurried out of the door and quickly followed his well-worn path to the headmaster's office.  
  
When he reached the stone gargoyle, Remus gasped out the password and hurried up the winding stairs.  
  
Before he could knock on the door, a calm voice floated out onto the landing, "Do you need something, Remus?"  
  
"Can I come in?"  
  
The door opened and Professor Dumbledore welcomed his previous student inside his office.  
  
"I was just wondering," Remus said without hesitation, sitting down in a chair, "Whether Sirius Black got a trial before they sent him to Azkaban."  
  
Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a minute before answering, "No, I don't believe he did. Fudge agreed with Barty Crouch, that it was best to get the Death Eaters captured and locked up, and the faster the better, so he didn't argue."  
  
"No trial..." Remus Lupin repeated, dazedly, "Then there really was no reason for him to be sent there..."  
  
"I shudder to think what Sirius will be like if he is indeed innocent and freed in a week-and-a-half."  
  
"Well, when I went there before, Sirius was acting so normal it was unnerving. He didn't even really try to persuade me to get him out of there, just to protect Harry and look for Wormtail. He also asked for a newspaper. Said he missed doing the crosswords," Remus said.  
  
"Yes," Dumbledore, quietly, again thoughtful. After a time, he added, "You should get some sleep, Remus, tomorrow is a big night for you."  
  
Startled, Remus nodded and left the office.  
  
The rest of that night, Remus had more pleasant dreams than he'd had for a while. Dreams of the marauders from when they were at Hogwarts together; innocent and care-free.  
  
**  
  
It was the last day of the first month of their first year, and Remus had just proven that he was Marauder-worthy, but hadn't thought so at the time.  
  
"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on marauding rule-breakers, you're well on your way to becoming one," James Potter said haughtily to Remus after cornering him in the common room after transfiguration.  
  
"Yeah," interjected Sirius, "Sprung us all from detention..."  
  
"I only-" Remus started but James interrupted him.  
  
"Didn't take any notes in Binns..."  
  
"That's because-"  
  
"Overturned Snivellus' cauldron..." Sirius grinned.  
  
"No, I," Remus started, but caught himself in time, "Well, yes, I did do that, but-" James interrupted him again.  
  
"*AND*, you're completely obsessed with chocolate," he pointed out.  
  
"That's not true!" Remus protested, angrily, "I am NOT obsessed with chocolate!"  
  
Sirius grinned, "Turn out your pockets!" he ordered, "Now!"  
  
Remus had managed to keep most of the candy from his friends until they rediscovered the use of their wands.  
  
"I know, I know!" James sang, happily, taking out his wand, "_Accio_, Accio, _Accio_"  
  
((AN: James, coming from a pureblood family had seen/had experience with that particular spell. *cough* his mother and father used it on him *cough*))  
  
By the time they had gotten all of it (and eaten part of it) Remus had felt very foolish indeed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"What's he saying?" James demanded.  
  
"I don't know! I can't lip-read!" Sirius said, "Wait! Moony said my name! I've seen him say that so many times before, I know it was about me!"  
  
Sirius and James had been watching Remus sleeping when all of a sudden, their favorite werewolf had jumped off of his chair and fairly flew to Dumbledore's office. Now they were watching them talk, and so far the only words they had distinguished were 'Sirius Black.'  
  
"Well, keep watching!" James said.  
  
"Only if you do!" Sirius replied, without missing a beat.  
  
They watched intently until Sirius managed to make out another word.  
  
By the time Remus left the room, the two marauders had gathered the words: Sirius Black, Death Eaters, Wormtail, newspaper, and last they were able to pick out 'Remus, tomorrow is a big day,' the last said by Dumbledore.  
  
Sirius had scratched the words into the ground with his fingernails and was pondering them, while James kept an eye on Remus.  
  
"Big day... Oh, tomorrow is the full moon!"  
  
"Really?" James' voice said, vaguely.  
  
"Yeah! I'm sure of it!" Sirius said.  
  
"And we can't be there!" James moaned.  
  
"Yeah, this has happened to me every single month since you died. I've been ready to do many crazy things countless times, just for Moony who has to be all alone once a month."  
  
"Poor Remus. He thinks he's the only one left, doesn't he?" James said despairingly.  
  
"Yeah, you're dead, Peter was murdered by me, and I'm insane and evil. Doesn't sound too encouraging."  
  
Sirius looked back at the words he'd written in the earth.  
  
"I've no idea what he's talking about with the Death Eaters," Sirius said, "He mentioned Wormtail, which I hope means Remus was talking about the conversation he'd had with me last month."  
  
"Er, Sirius? Did Remus ever tell anyone about us becoming animagi?" James' voice asked.  
  
"No, don't think so. He did say that no one had found a cure for being a werewolf yet, though."  
  
"But if he didn't tell anyone, why was he talking to Dumbledore about Peter with his animagus name?" James persisted.  
  
A light bulb appeared over Sirius' head, "Oh, I get it! You're suggesting that he's gone and told Dumbledore! So there's still a chance that Peter will be caught and I can get out of here!"  
  
Sirius stood up and began to dance around his cell, happily.  
  
"I hope it's true! Dumbledore's smart, he'll figure out the truth!" Sirius said.  
  
"Now cut that out, Padfoot," James' voice said, cleanly and quickly, "you're scaring me," the voice added playfully.  
  
"Sorry," Sirius said, slightly guiltily, sitting down on the hard-packed earth.  
  
A soft, yet audible, sigh echoed around the tiny cell, as James realized again Sirius' predicament.  
  
"What are we gonna do, mate?" the dead Marauder asked, gravely.  
  
"I don't know," Sirius Black, convicted murderer of James and Lily Potter, Peter Pettigrew, and countless muggles, replied grimly, "I honestly don't know."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Aww, come on, Hermione, I only need another couple minutes and I've got Harry for sure!" Ron said, otherwise ignoring Hermione Granger, class know- it-all.  
  
Harry scowled at Ron.  
  
"Ronald!" Ron jumped at being addressed in such a way, "Mr. Lupin will need our support tonight, and now is as good a time as any to ask if he needs any help!" Hermione said, pointedly.  
  
Harry stood up from the chess game he and Ron were playing to stand next to the girl, "I'm afraid I am forced to agree with miss Granger on this matter," he said impassively, trying to imitate Professor McGonagall.  
  
"You're only saying that 'cause you're losing," Ron grumbled, also standing up, and the three students made their way to the portrait hole.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Remus was sitting at his desk, wondering whether he'd have to take another vile-tasting potion tonight before moon-rise, when there came a knock on the door.  
  
"Yes?" he said, his voice cracking. The door opened a tiny bit and a head with a lot of bushy brown hair poked in. "Come in, then," Remus said, waving her inside.  
  
Harry and Ron followed.  
  
Harry smiled at Remus but Hermione started the conversation, "We were just wondering if you would like us to help you with anything, mister Lupin."  
  
Remus was mildly startled to hear this, but Harry and Ron were nodding enthusiastically in agreement.  
  
"Erm, no. I've handled the same thing every single month before this, I can handle it now," Remus sighed, "But thank you," he added hastily, seeing Hermione's downcast face.  
  
"Nothing?" she asked hopefully.  
  
Bring James back, he'd help me, thought Remus. "No. Nothing."  
  
"Oh."  
  
The werewolf stared at the ground, unseeing.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Dumbledore? Why?" James asked.  
  
"I'm just curious what he's doing now, is all," Sirius replied to the puddle.  
  
"Alright. Dumbledore it is, then."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Come in," came Dumbledore's voice from inside his office.  
  
Severus Snape entered.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore," Snape started, "I'm afraid I must express my concern about a certain Defense teacher."  
  
The headmaster nodded, inviting him to continue.  
  
"He has been acting in a way that disturbs me greatly. When I enter into his presence, I find that he avoids eye contact, his nostrils dilate and he mutters incoherently. Due to my experience in the matter, I would have to say he is hiding something and is afraid I may figure it out. Do try to asses him quite carefully, headmaster."  
  
"Indeed I will, Severus. Indeed I will."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Snape?! Why is he there?!" James' voice said, disgusted.  
  
"And he's wearing Hogwarts teacher's robes!" Sirius replied, outraged, "Just like the ones McGonagall use to wear. Dumbledore's letting him bully around poor unsuspecting students?! What is he thinking?!"  
  
"Gone off his rocker in his old age!" James stated.  
  
"Completely mad!" Sirius agreed, "Barking!"  
  
"But then again, Sirius, you're barking too," James' voice said.  
  
"That's old, Jamsie. A bit outdated are we? Doesn't being dead give you anymore time to think up new comebacks?"  
  
"Well, yes, I suppose so, but I never thought to use the time given to me, now did I?"  
  
"You always were a procrastinator." Sirius granted, grinning.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Next chapter: the full moon!  
  
Reviews are appreciated, but obviously not needed.  
  
Thanks to all my lovely reviewers for, well, reviewing.  
  
And, by the way, James isn't alive again, but what he is seeing is being visually transmitted into Sirius' cell and for some odd reason Sirius is able to communicate with him. And, no, Padfoot has not, I repeat NOT, lost it.  
  
Lol ^__^  
  
c-ya lata Jeanne2 


	11. Of Moony

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. Nope, not me. She's in England somewhere.

AN: I hope you like this chapter, it's almost sixteen pages long! (see authors note at the end for more babbling)

Enjoy!

* * *

"'S getting dark, Harry, we should go in," Ron called up to Harry, who was chasing muggle balls which Oliver Wood had enchanted to help him practice.

Harry privately agreed, he didn't want to be caught out after curfew, but he really wanted to get that last ball….

Just a little bit further…

His new Nimbus 2000 could reach an amazing speed…

Almost got it…

Just another inch…

AHA!

Harry could hear Ron clapping from down below.

Doing a loop-de-loop, Harry made his way back to the ground and landed smoothly next to Ron, who was leaning up against a tree that had strayed away from the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"That was excellent, Harry!" He exclaimed, excitedly, "Absolutely the best flying I've seen since Charlie left for Romania! That was so… Wow!"

Harry grinned as he packed away the balls in the crate Wood had left for him.

"Thanks, Ron. You've really got to try this some time. It is so awesome!"

"Oh, I've been flying loads of times, just… not…" Ron's sentence was left hanging and the Weasley looked noticeably uncomfortable.

"Well," said Harry, breaking the uncomfortable silence, as the two Gryffindors made their way up to the school, "you really ought to give this model broom a go. I think you should see the view from up there! It is absolutely amazing! You can see so much and it makes you feel so free…"

Harry drifted into silence, but this was less uncomfortable than the last.

As the two made their way up several staircases, Harry broke the silence once again, "Where did Hermione go, again?"

"Dunno," answered Ron, "Library, I expect, where else?"

Harry shrugged, "Think we should go get her and tell her to come up to bed? She does tend to lose track of the time when she's studying."

"Nah," replied Ron, stifling a yawn, "she's probably already up there."

* * *

Hermione looked up and started; it was already getting dark out!

Hurriedly, the muggle-born girl collected up her books from the library table and stuffed them into her bag.

Grabbing said bag, she began to race from the library, hoping to get to her dormitory before curfew.

When she had gotten halfway down the first corridor, Hermione remembered the notes she had been taking and she skidded to a stop. Adjusting her bag, she skirted back along the corridor and nearly missed the door back into the library.

Hurrying to the table she had been sitting at, Hermione lost her balance and went tumbling over a chair.

For a minute everything was silent, except for Hermione's rapid breathing.

Carefully, Hermione sat up and crawled to the table. Using the table and another chair to prop herself up, she managed to grab her notes and stuff them in her bag which was, miraculously, still hanging on her shoulder.

More slowly this time, Hermione walked from the library. Now she KNEW it was after curfew and she thought it prudent to be more careful than speedy.

The young witch had one foot on the first step of the staircase leading to the Gryffindor Common room when she heard what would have been an ear-shattering scream coming from the bowels of the castle. Startlingly the sound was muffled slightly and Hermione could tell it was a long ways off.

One split-second decision later, Hermione Granger was racing down flights of staircases and in the direction the noise had come from.

Becoming a werewolf was very painful. Although the wolfsbane potion was designed to calm the effects of the wolf mentally, it did nothing for Remus Lupin physically and there was nothing to distract him from the pain.

As he felt millions of rough hairs poking through his skin and inch-long teeth piercing his gums that were bleeding afresh, he let out a scream of pure pain. His bones were now bending, crunching, and sliding into the shape of a wolf. He screamed even louder, wanting to let out all the troubles of the past.

Hermione sprinted down the corridors, toward the dungeons, where fresh screams were heard, followed by a series of howls.

She stopped right outside a door that was locked with a singular spell, and hesitated, before pulling out her wand.

* * *

  
  
Remus' now very sensitive ears heard movement outside the door of the room. He turned around to see the door click open.

His human side was brought forward exceptionally (how did Hermione get in here!?) before feeling the wolf force its way forward. He growled, baring his teeth.

Oh no! This was not good. 'Time to begin the inner struggle.' Thought Remus before concentrating hard on not eating Hermione.

But she was young and fresh! It would make for the perfect first meal in… EVER!

Unless you count that squirrel in second year… And NO he would not let himself eat an innocent first-year, especially because she had been helping him figure out what was going on with Sirius… er… Black.

Human blood, here I come!

NO!!

He lunged forward at the girl and bowled her over, the 'inner struggle' got ever more fierce.

But she is so fresh! Crunchy and munchable…

I will NOT eat her!

Oh, but I will!

NO!!

Hermione screamed and stood up, backing against the wall and picking up her wand, thinking fast.

Come on, Hermione, think of something! Stupefy me… dang, you don't know the spell!

The wolf was winning, and Remus was panicking.

'You stupid girl! Why would anyone come in here!?' thought Remus

No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!

YES!!

The wolf moved forward for the kill.

Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment and set it on fire with blue flames, holding it out in front of her.

'No, get it away from me,' thought the wolf, backing up.

'YES!' thought Remus, 'Good job, Hermione, wolves don't like fire!'

The wolf made a growling sound, viciously thinking, 'I'm not scared of fire! I don't 'Dislike It',' it then placed itself between Hermione and the door.

'NO!' Remus thought, not taking the time to wonder why the wolfsbane potion wasn't working, 'I will NOT eat Hermione!'

"P-p-please don't h-hurt me," the girl whimpered.

'I'm trying not to!' Remus thought, vainly trying to push the hungry wolf away from the surface.

"I d-didn't mean t-to d-d-disturb y-you. Please, p-p-please d-d-don't hurt me!"

The wolf leapt forward.

* * *

"Stupid girl!"

"What does she think she's doing?"

"Hasn't she read how dangerous werewolves can be?!"

"Poor Remus, he'll never forgive himself if he kills her or turns her into a werewolf."

"And we're not there to help!"

"Fight the wolf, Remus!"

"Don't do it! NO!"

"GAH!"

James and Sirius were miserably watching their werewolf friend as he first advanced on the poor first-year student and then bowled her over.

"I wish we could DO something!" James yelled.

Sirius was thoughtful for a moment, "James, we still don't know how you are able to talk to me."

"Obviously not." James groaned, "So?"

"We should try- er, I mean, you should try- to talk to him!" Sirius said enthusiastically, "Get into his head and stop him from eating that poor girl! Help him fight the wolf!"

"I…" James paused to think about this,

"It's possible, isn't it? I mean we'd be closer during the full moons than we would be otherwise, right? You could talk to him!"

"I," James repeated, thoughtfully, taking a deep breath, "I could try."

* * *

Hermione leapt backwards and met the wall hard. She fell to the ground, but didn't quite lose consciousness. Bravely, her head spinning with bright colors, she stood up to find the wolf backing away from her again.

He was shaking his head and rubbing it with one of his paws, as if pushing a fly from it.

The werewolf growled then grew silent, his ears pricked as if listening. Hermione inched toward the door.

The animal jumped up and then ran in a circle, as if chasing his tail. He yipped, then he whined.

Hermione felt the handle of the door beneath her hand. Gathering her courage once more she flung the door open and barreled through it, slamming it shut and locking it behind her.

* * *

Remus was so close to the girl, he could almost taste her. Then a sudden, unexpected sound made him back away again.

It was his pack! Two of his pack members!

"DON'T DO IT!"

"Did he hear you?"

The wolf rubbed his head, trying to scratch the loud voices away.

"I have no idea."

"Try again!"

"DON'T EAT THE GIRL! IT'S A _VERY_ BAD IDEA, REMUS!"

"He's backing away! That's good, maybe he heard you."

Remus recognized that voice. That of the dog who used to play and explore with him during nights at Hogwarts. He growled. That voice had killed his friend.

He recognized the other voice too, but it had been so long since he had heard it. It took him a while to place it.

It was his friend!

The wolf jumped up and down and ran in a circle, happily. It was the friend that had been missing for so long! Prongs! The wolf yipped cheerfully.

But wait… the stag was the one who had died… how could he be talking to him now?

The wolf whined in confusion.

"Oh, poor Remus. He looks upset."

"Probably because you're supposed to be dead, James."

"Oh, yeah,"

Remus heard the door slam shut and turned to see that the girl had managed to escape. He was glad, but the wolf was decidedly unenthusiastic about it.

"Oh, look, the girl got out!" That was Padfoot.

"Yeah, Sirius, that's what we were planning on accomplishing," retorted Prongs.

"I know that, but I didn't know it would actually work."

Remus listened to them and then to the silence that followed their conversation.

The wolf whined, wondering where his pack was. He could hear them, but where were they?

"Oh. James, what should we do about Remus. I think he can hear you. You should tell him… erm… stuff."

"Oh, yeah, wonderful, Sirius. Stuff."

"Well, tell him something, he's still got a lot of time 'till moonset."

"You're right, Sirius."

Remus and the wolf waited impatiently.

"What should I say?"

"I don't care, anything! What would Remus want to hear you say?"

"I dunno, that I'm only mostly dead?"

"James, you ARE dead."

"I know that!"

The wolf whined again.

"He's whining, James, say something!"

"Alright, alright, keep your fur on!

"REMUS, CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

Remus and the wolf yipped.

"That means 'yes,'" said Padfoot's voice.

"I know that."

"ERM… HOW'VE YOU BEEN DOING, LATELY?"

"That's lame, James. We know he's been doing awful."

"Better than us."

"No, not as good as us. At least we have each other's company."

"He's been hanging out with those kids quite a lot."

"Yeah, but would you be satisfied with hanging out with a handful of kids instead of your lifelong friends?"

"Well, if one of them was my son…"

"James, keep talking to him, he's bored and he's still got all night."

"But he didn't answer my question."

"I don't think he can, horn-head!"

The wolf yipped.

"See? He can't do anything more than yip, and I can't remember what each yip means. It's been too long," Padfoot stated, "I only remember 'yes' and 'that's mine!' and 'what are you doing in my forest?!'"

"You remember how he says 'what are you doing in my forest?"

"Well, it was more along the lines of 'this is my property, get out of here before I eat you' but that's too long to say."

"You just did,"

"Oh, yeah,"

"Say something to Moony, James,"

"Alright.

"SO, YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO MY SON…"

"Excellent, James, you've probably just confused him more."

"How'd I do that?"

"How's he supposed to know we've been watching his every move for the past-"

Remus howled loudly.

"Shut up, Sirius.

"ERM… WE'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU LATELY. LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE NOT DOING TO GOOD."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's exactly what he wanted to hear!"

"Well, sor-ry," Prongs' voice said sarcastically, "What do YOU think I should say?"

"Explain who, 'we' is."

"Okay:

"SORRY, I MEANT TO EXPLAIN THAT 'WE' DEFINES ME AND SIRIUS.

Remus nodded, though even more confused than he had been at first.

"AND, I MEAN, ERM…"

"Tell him you're a puddle."

"I'M A PUDDLE… Sirius, why in Merlin's name did I just say that?! That'll make things a LOT more clear for him!"

"Oops… sorry 'bout that, Prongs."

"Apologize to Moony, not me."

"I don't think he can hear me, James."

"Well try it. He might be able to."

"CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

Remus snuffed scornfully and then yipped, just loud enough that Sirius and James, wherever they were, would hear it.

"I think he can, Sirius!"

"SORRY TO CONFUSE YOU, MOONY!" Padfoot's voice said.

Remus didn't know quite what to think.

"What else should we say?" Padfoot wondered.

"That you're innocent," replied Prongs, directly.

"I'M INNOCENT!"

"Nice and subtle, as always."

"Thank you."

Remus decided that this made no sense whatsoever and began to howl at the moon.

"I think we've managed to thoroughly confuse him."

"Oops."

* * *

Sirius and James sat in silence, but for the howling coming from the puddle in the corner of the cell in Azkaban.

"He's a good singer," Sirius said, abruptly.

James made a bewildered sound and said, "You, Padfoot, are the strangest person I have ever met."

"I'll just take that as a compliment, then," Sirius replied cheerfully.

"Well, what now?" Asked James.

Sirius thought for a minute, then replied, "Let's join him."

James made to answer, but he only got out, "Wha…" before Sirius began to howl along with the werewolf.

James, wondering if being dead prevented you from getting a headache, eventually joined them.

Anyone passing by Azkaban would have thought that the singular occupant of a certain cell had finally lost it.

* * *

"H-H-Harry! R-Ron!" gasped a girl's voice, after the door to the boy's dormitories was thumped open.

Ron only turned over and mumbled something to the affect of, "No, mum, I swear I didn't turn Bill's hair blue with your cooking dye, it must have been Fred and George," but quite a bit more like, "Num, zwear didn'd urn Billzare bloo wiffur cookindie, must've been GrednForge."

Hermione, ignoring the sleeping Weasley, walked up to Harry's bed and shook his shoulder.

"Harry…Harry!"

Harry moaned and grudgingly opened his eyes, squinting through the dark to see who was standing over him.

"'Ermione?"

"Yes, Harry! Oh, you'll never believe what just happened! I was so foolish!"

"Hermione why are you in the boy's dormitories?"

"I needed to talk to you."

"Can't we talk tomorrow? I'm still asleep."

"But, Harry," Hermione whined, pitifully, "I really need someone to talk this through with now."

"Hermione, I was just practicing Quidditch, and I'm all worn out! I won't last until you're done."

Hermione looked downcast.

"I'll talk to you in the morning," Harry said, sleepily.

The girl frowned and turned away. Stepping towards the door she said coldly, "That won't be necessary," but Harry was already asleep.

* * *

By the time the howling died down the moon was beginning to set.

Sirius and James were still watching Remus, both of which he was able to hear as well.

"Hey, James, d'ya think he'll be able to remember anything when he's finished transforming?"

Before Sirius had finished speaking though, the werewolf had stopped walking and sat down, unmoving.

"I have no idea, I've never done this before, leastwise to a werewolf."

"What's he doing?" Sirius asked.

"I'm not sure, maybe he's just-"

The werewolf let out a loud whine which ended in an agonizing howl.

"Oh, he's turning back into himself!"

"Time to sit and wait, then."

"You're a puddle, you can't sit."

"No, but I can pretend I'm sitting, can't I?" James retorted, then added, "I thought so," before Sirius could answer.

* * *

In the spare room that Dumbledore had provided him, Remus rubbed at his throbbing temples. He'd had the singular worst full moon experience since James and Lily had died.

For some reason, most of the night was fuzzy. The only part he remembered was Hermione wandering into the room, before the wolf-and-man struggle started.

Now that Remus was fully himself again, he had the time to wonder why the wolfsbane potion hadn't worked.

He had ruled out the possibility of it being Snape's fault. He wasn't the type to make a mistake on a potion and he wouldn't dare make it wrong on purpose directly under Dumbledore's nose.

Perhaps it had been tampered with, so the wolf was there more than with the potion, but a small amount less than without.

Remus was still pondering the options when a knock sounded at the door.

He waved Hermione in and she took a seat.

Tentatively she cleared her throat and opened her mouth.

She seemed to think for just a moment, before deciding that whatever she was going to say would not be the best way to start a conversation with this werewolf, and shut it.

Finally, Remus waiting patiently, Hermione opened it again.

"I'm sorry I… you know… walked in on you last night."

She looked uncomfortable.

"I just heard you… and… and… I wasn't sure…"

Remus rubbed his temples again.

"It's alright, I must not have cast a strong enough silencing charm on the door."

"Silencing charm?" Hermione asked, startled.

"Yes," the werewolf replied, "I didn't want everyone hearing my transformation, so I put a silencing charm on the room."

"But there weren't any charms on the room, except the locking charm, I would've noticed."

"What do you mean?" Remus asked, "I put three locking charms and a silencing charm on the room."

Hermione looked puzzled, "No, there was just the one locking spell. I undid that with 'Alohamora,' There wasn't anything else."

"But…" Remus stuttered, "I'm sure I did them right! I must have done them a hundred times before, I wouldn't have messed all three of them up!"

"When I checked for additional spells I found none. I learned how to do that last week. 'Magical Methods for Detection and Recognition,' said that this one can recognize most simple and quite a few complicated jinxes, charms and spells."

Remus made a face, "You sound like me. And my friends said I sounded like a book."

The two occupants of the room fell into silence, both looking thoughtful.

Since nobody else had heard the transformation, both people came to the same conclusion; someone either wanted Hermione dead (or turned into a werewolf) or Remus to have a guilty conscious. Or perhaps both.

* * *

The weekend passed quickly, Harry and Ron barely finishing their homework in time for the next week's classes (Hermione had finished them days before).

Halloween was finally approaching, and they were due to start working with more interesting magic, now that they had finished the basics and theories behind it all.

Two days before Halloween, Harry began to wonder why Hermione was being so distant.

Sure, you couldn't have called her, Ron and Harry friends, by any means, but she was being particularly cold and Harry found it quite disturbing.

That morning he approached her about it.

Hermione was reading the Daily Prophet over her bread and jam.

Harry sat down across from her. She made no sign that she had noticed him.

"Hi," Harry said.

No recognition.

"Erm… Hermione?"

The young witch finally looked up, but her eyes were frosty and she slid her plate away from the edge of the table, picking up her bag.

"Wait a minute," Harry said, worried that the girl had only decided to leave because he was trying to talk to her, "Hermione, why are you doing this?"

She made a 'tuh' sound and turned around, walking out of the Great Hall so fast that Harry couldn't be sure he hadn't imagined her brown hair whipping out of sight behind her.

Ron plopped down in her place.

"Mornin', Harry."

"Hullo, Ron," Harry replied, poking at his breakfast with a silver spoon.

"What's up, Harry? You look like you've been kicked off the Quidditch team."

"Just Hermione," sighed Harry, throwing down his fork, "She won't talk to me."

"Well what do you want to talk to her for?" Ron wondered, in an effort to cheer up his friend, "She just a sour grape who loves homework."

Harry looked at Ron and saw how earnest he was about forgetting the girl and nodded, solemnly.

* * *

Thx to all you reviewers!

I am gonna put up an interlude soon (hopefully) and I will attempt to write more quickly come summer.

I'm not quite sure if the story is coming to a close, you can leave a review with what you think.

I also have about six plot bunnies (or otters, or mearcats, or something) running around my head, trying to get me to start new stories, but I dunno if I should.


	12. Of Trolls

DISCLAIMER: I still don't own more than the plot… checks pockets… oh, and some old musty apples… rummages around… and three sickles and a knut… looks around room… erm, yup, that's it…

AN: Sorry for the delay. No, I haven't died & I WILL NOT abandon this fic. (Fifteen pages this chapter… not bad…)

AN/OTHER DISCLAIMER: There are some things in this chapter taken directly from the HP books, but I changed some of it to fit the story. Sorry if this offends you or disturbs you, but… there you are… I want to stick to the books as much as possible.

* * *

It was finally Halloween and, for this reason, everyone seemed to be in particularly good spirits.

Except Hermione.

When Charms came and she was partnered with one of the people she had been working hardest at avoiding, Ron, Hermione was fuming.

Harry, partnered with Seamus, was more occupied with watching Hermione and Ron bickering through their practical work than struggling through his own. He had actually tried it a couple of times before Hermione's yelling caught his attention.

"No! Stop! You're doing it all wrong. You don't have to wave your arms so much, it's more of a wrist motion, and you're saying it wrong too. It's Win-_gar_-dium Levi-_oh_-sa. Make the "gar" nice and long."

Ron glared at his partner and pushed the feather he had been trying to levitate towards her, "Let's see you do it, then."

Hermione rolled up her sleeves, flicked her wrist and said, "Wingardium Leviosa."

The feather didn't hesitate to rise steadily into the air. It hovered above their heads for a moment before Hermione eased it back down.

By the end of the period, Ron was fuming as well.

Harry waited for him to put his things in his bag, what he did was probably closer to shove them in as fast and as sloppily as he could to avoid more of Hermione's lectures.

Harry led the way out of the classroom, Ron at his side, but neither turned around, and, so neither saw that Hermione exited the classroom right after they did.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," Ron told Harry, "she's a nightmare, honestly."

Harry felt someone knock into him as they pushed past. Ron grabbed Harry's robes to keep him from falling down.

Harry got a glimpse of the person and was startled to see it was Hermione… and she was in tears.

As he caught his balance, he told Ron, "I think she heard you."

"So?" snapped Ron, but he looked slightly uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

...

Harry started to worry when Hermione didn't turn up for their next class… in fact she wasn't seen all afternoon. As he and Ron were making their way towards the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Harry overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender Brown that Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone.

Ron frowned at this, but otherwise pretended he hadn't heard anything.

Harry was about to say something, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the glorious Halloween decorations pushed the girl out of their minds.

Numerous live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling, while even more swooped over the tables, causing the candles in the pumpkins to stutter.

The feast came suddenly, appearing on the golden plates as it had at the start of term, and Harry was just reaching for a potato when the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor came sprinting into the hall, the turban he always wore slightly askew and terror written on his face.

Everyone in the hall watched him race to the teacher's table and slumped against it, nearest to Dumbledore's chair. He gasped, "Troll- in the dungeons- thought you ought to know."

Then he sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar in the hall. Professor Dumbledore stood up and fired several purple firecrackers before silence fell again.

"Prefects," he ordered, "lead your Houses back to your dormitories immediately!"

Percy stood up, straight-backed, "Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

Harry looked up at Remus Lupin and, before he turned to follow Percy up the stairs asked Ron, "How could a troll get in?"

"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid." Since Harry wasn't actually _moving_, Ron grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the stairs, "Harry we should go. We don't want to get in trouble."

"But, maybe we should-"

"It was probably Peeves," Ron said, impatiently, "He probably let the troll in for a Halloween joke."

Harry's eyes grew wide. He yanked himself free of Ron's grip, "I've just thought- Hermione."

"What about her?" Ron asked slowly.

"She doesn't know about the troll."

Ron bit his lip.

"Oh, all right. But-"

"What are you two doing?" A worried voice asked from behind them, "You're supposed to be going to Gryffindor Tower!"

"Hermione!" Harry yelled whipping around to face the voice, "She's in the girls bathroom and doesn't know about the troll!"

Ron turned to look at Remus Lupin and saw that he was quite pale.

Harry glanced around the Hall and saw that it was almost empty.

"The bathroom by the Charms room or the one near Gryffindor tower?!"

"Charms, I think," Harry replied, "That's where we last saw her."

Remus paled more, "That's too near the troll."

He rubbed at his temples uncertainly and bit his lip, muttering, "Dumbledore trusts him, he'll handle it…"

He set his face and set off, taking the path Harry had planned on following.

Ron looked at Harry and then they followed the marauder at a quick pace, taking two steps for every one that he took.

They hurried along a deserted corridor and a few moments after they turned the corner, they heard footsteps behind them. Remus looked around and pulled Ron and Harry behind a large stone griffin.

Harry saw Snape as he crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.

"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"

"Search me," said Ron.

Remus was silent, but his eyes held a knowing look as he pulled the boys from behind the statue and after Snape's fading footsteps.

"He's heading for the third floor," Harry said, but Ron held up his hand.

"Can you smell something?"

Harry sniffed and a horrid smell reached his nose.

He and Ron turned to look at Remus, but his nose was already pinched shut, "That would be the stench of a troll," the werewolf frowned.

The three wizards continued down the corridor, "Careful, boys. The troll is just a bit away, I gan 'ear 'im."

Harry strained his ears and then he and Ron could hear it too- a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of huge feet.

They watched as an enormous shape emerged from the left and slowly made it's way toward them.

The three of them shrank into the shadows again.

The troll walked through a patch of moonlight and they were able to see it fully.

Ron covered his mouth and his stomach, "Ugh!"

The troll stopped moving next to a doorway. It looked inside and wiggled his long ears, it seemed to be trying to make up it's miniscule mind.

When the troll stepped forward into the room, Remus groaned and started to run forward.

"The girls' bathroom?" Ron wondered.

"Poor kid keeps getting attacked by monsters," Remus muttered by way of response, the hand which had been covering his nose fell down to his side, as the others hurried to follow him towards the door which the troll had disappeared into.

As they approached the door, a sound came from it which nearly made their hearts stop- a high petrified scream.

They broke into a sprint, Remus entering the room first, followed closely by Harry and then Ron.

Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite the door, looking as though she were about to faint. The troll was closing in on her, knocking the sinks from the wall as it went.

"Remus? What do we do?!"

"'Physical attacks hardly ever have an effect on the mountain troll,'" Remus said, sounding like a textbook, "Uh…'Magic is likewise unlikely to help unless used in the proper ways. Due to the thick skin and unresponsive nerves and muscles in the troll's body…' no, no, no… skip that section, it's not helping… 'the head is the weakest point on the troll, which is why they sometimes have a tendency to wear helmets, it is unknown as to why they come up with such intelligent…' no, that's not it either…"

"Confuse it!" Harry yelled, snatching a sink tap and throwing it as hard as he could against the wall.

The troll stopped feet from Hermione and lumbered around to see what had made the noise.

It hesitated, then made for Harry instead, lifting it's club.

Remus was still muttering extracts from textbooks as he raised his wand. He stopped mumbling to shout something Harry couldn't hear (Ron had just yelled, "Oy, pea-brain!" from the other side of the room and threw a metal pipe at it's shoulder.)

The spell thrown by the adult seemed to make no impact on the troll, likewise with Ron's pipe, but the shouting and echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk.

As it turned toward Ron, who was in a corner as far from Hermione and Harry as he could get, Harry had a chance to run around the troll towards Hermione.

The troll, still approaching Ron, smashed a few cubicles, scattering bits of wood all over the floor.

"Come on, run, _run_!" Harry yelled to her, trying to pull her toward the door, but she seemed unable to move, still flat against the wall- mouth open wide with terror.

Remus jerked his wand up again and the troll paused momentarily.

Hermione still refused to move forward.

"Do something!" Harry yelled, to no one in particular.

Ron took out his wand and looked fearfully around… from Harry and Hermione to Remus and then to the troll.

The werewolf shot another spell out of his wand. This one caused the troll to roar with rage.

"Bad idea!" the adult wizard scolded himself, "Erm…"

Hermione whimpered as Harry tried to drag her towards the door again.

Ron, still holding his wand, opened his mouth and felt it form the first spell that came into his mind.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_"

The troll's club, which it had been brandishing at Remus was lifted into the air. It hovered for a few seconds and then fell with a sickening "crack" onto it's owner's head.

The troll swayed dangerously before falling forward.

CRASH!!!

There was silence.

The three people in the room stared at the troll quietly.

The first one to make a sound was Hermione. She let out another mind-numbing shriek and then a scream like a siren.

Ron blanched, "Wha…"

"R-Remus," Hermione sobbed, "You squished him, Ron!"

"I… WHAT?!"

Harry approached the body of the fallen troll and cocked his head to better see under it.

The boy jumped backwards.

"Is he dead?" Hermione wondered, her voice trembling.

"The troll?" Ron asked, thickly.

"The troll's still alive," Harry answered quietly, "but I'm not so sure about Remus." The boy pointed to the troll's arm, where the unconscious form of Remus Lupin was partially visible.

Hermione whimpered again and sank down to the floor.

"Did I kill him?" Ron whispered, hushed.

Harry didn't answer. Hermione wailed something about not making him feel bad.

"I've killed him!" Ron rasped.

"Nonsense."

Ron looked over at Harry, who continued, "I think he does need to get out from under the" he waved vaguely at the horrible gray lump, "monster, though…"

Harry thought for a minute and then pointed his own wand at the large mountain troll.

"_Wingardium Leviosa_?" he said, swishing and flicking his wand.

The troll raised not even a centimeter upwards before falling back down with a thud.

More of Remus was exposed now, and he twitched jerkily.

"Well, he's alive…" Harry cleared his throat, "or, at least, he was."

Hermione looked up at Harry. Her tearstained face became one filled with disgust for herself.

"I'm the cleverest one here; everyone says so. I should help," she said, "not mope around!"

Hermione stood up and pointed her wand at the troll as well.

Ron nodded and lowered his wand (it had still been pointing at the place the club had been floating) to the ground so it, too, pointed at the mountain troll.

"On three," Harry said, "One…

"Two…

"Three!"

"_Wingardium Leviosa_!"

The troll was lifted an entire meter up and a few centimeters away from the head of the unconscious adult before it fell away from the three, first-years' charms.

The loud 'crack' the troll made upon falling back down caused all three children to jump.

Hermione was quivering now. She looked ready to begin crying again, "We've _got_ to get it off of him! We've just _got_ to!"

Harry nodded and looked at his father's friend (who was still covered up to his chest).

Hermione ran up to the troll and, wrapping her robes around her hands to avoid skin-contact, pushed with all her might.

Harry followed suit.

Ron stared at them and then walked around to their side of the troll and began to push as well.

The troll was very heavy.

Their combined effort moved the troll precious few centimeters.

Finally Hermione panted, "Perhaps… we should… use a… lever of some… sort."

Harry sat down, breathing hard, and looked around the room.

"How about that?" Ron asked, pointing to a piece of wood which had, at one time, been part of a girl's cubicle.

Hermione nodded, "That'll do, I think."

While Hermione worked the piece of wood free of the others, Harry practiced swishing and flicking and then levitated a large piece of something else (he wasn't too inclined to levitate anything, but it was too heavy to lift) to act as the balancing point.

They set up the lever and shoved the end as far under the troll as they could manage.

Hermione pushed down on the other end.

Nothing happened.

Hermione sat on the other end.

She remained firmly in the air.

Harry climbed up next to her and there was a creaking sound, but otherwise, no response.

"C'mon, Ronald!" Hermione ordered.

Ron hesitantly joined them on top of the wooden 'see-saw'.

The wood strained and continued to groan with their weight, but didn't move.

Hermione stood up, still on top of the lever.

"What are you doing?" asked Ron.

Hermione grabbed his and Harry's forearms and pulled them up too.

"On the count of three, we jump," she said, in her traditional, bossy voice.

"One…"

Harry prepared himself.

"Two…"

The room was strangely quiet, and echo-y.

"Three!"

They jumped.

The troll still didn't move, which Hermione suddenly realized was a good thing, 'If it had gone up, even an inch, it would have fallen back down again.'

"Hermione?" Harry asked, "D'you think you could levitate those sinks over here?"

"Yeah," Hermione said, absent-mindedly. She hopped off the wooden, makeshift lever and gazed at the focal point of their tool.

"What is it, Hermione?" Harry wondered, watching her concentrating quite hard.

"I think this should be moved closer to the troll," she said, "Come off of there, won't you?"

Harry and Ron jumped off.

Together the three pushed the balancing point closer to the mountain troll.

"There, now we should be able to put a smaller amount of weight on this end," Hermione gestured toward the end they had previously sat on, "and be able to move the troll."

The three students moved bits of debris onto their crude tool, until it bore an enormous number of the bits and pieces of the previously-sinks-now-pieces-of-wreckage-from-the-mountain-troll-rampage.

Hermione sighed, "Ron, why don't you climb on top of the other stuff to add more weight to the lever."

"Why me?" Ron asked, huffily.

"Because you're the tallest," Harry pointed out, "And therefore weigh the most."

"Right," agreed Hermione, "I'm a girl, and Harry's-"

"A midget," interjected Ron.

"Hey," said Harry, but he didn't sound as though he were upset about this remark. Harry was, again, looking at the troll and the partially exposed body of Remus Lupin.

Ron climbed carefully on top of the teetering pile of rubble. His added bulk had the desired effect, and the troll's body was partially lifted off the ground.

The two students left on the ground approached the figure which was mostly uncovered and still sprawled on the ground.

They looked at him carefully (was it okay to move someone that badly hurt? What if they injured him more?!) before deciding that, because his arms weren't completely crushed, they could drag him out from underneath the monster.

The each took an arm and yanked at it.

Very slowly, progress was made.

They could hear the sound of anxious footsteps approaching.

"Someone's coming," Ron stated, swinging his legs from where he sat.

"Erm…" said Hermione, but didn't get to say anything more before a load of teachers burst into the room, headed by Professor McGonagall.

Their Transfigurations teacher let out a startled sound and began trying to form a coherent sentence.

She finally managed to demand, "What happened here?!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all started talking at once. McGonagall caught the phrase, "-didn't _mean_ to squish him, but…"

She held up a hand and restated her question, "How did he get under the Mountain Troll?"

Ron answered her question, miserably, "I- er- I didn't _mean_ to, but I _accidentally_… I levitated the troll's club, and dropped it on the troll's head… erm, he didn't have time to jump out of the way before it… he, erm…

"You've dropped a troll on top of Lupin?" Professor Snape asked, a disbelieving tone encircling his voice. He then smirked, looking at Ron's pale face and Harry's and Hermione's frowns, "You've dropped a _mountain troll_ on top of _Remus Lupin_!"

Professor McGonagall frowned at the Potions Master's comment, but made kept looking at her three students, "What were you _thinking_?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione opened their mouths, but McGonagall cut them off, "Never mind. I need space to think. Just go."

"But…" said Harry looking over to his peers and then to his new friend.

"Just go!" ordered their teacher, her voice so harsh that they all wanted to jump backwards.

"Uh… Professor?" Ron asked.

"What?" she snapped.

"I don't think it's a good idea if I…"

"Spit it out, Weasley, we haven't got all day," sneered Professor Snape.

"I'm sort of holding the troll off of him with the lever?"

"Oh," McGonagall frowned, "well, you two get out of here."

She shooed Harry and Hermione past the other teachers. Harry noticed Professor Quirrel was sitting down holding his heart, as if scared, but upon closer examination he noticed that his eyes were fixed on Snape with a curious dislike.

Hermione dragged Harry out of the room.

* * *

Harry and Hermione had been pacing the Common Room ever since they had gotten back from their adventure.

"How long do you think they'll keep him there?" Hermione wondered, her bushy brown hair flying out behind her as she twirled around and paced extremely quickly across the room again.

"I dunno, but I would've expected him to be back by now!" Harry replied, pacing equally as fast, two steps behind her. They reached the side of the room and Hermione twirled again, this time catching Harry in the face.

"Gah!" Harry sputtered, "Watch where you're flinging that, please."

"Sorry," Hermione said, stopping to look at Harry for a brief moment and then resuming her rapid pacing.

There was a small explosion near the fire, where Fred, George, and Lee were sitting.

Normally Harry would have asked what was going on, or investigated, and Hermione may have dropped what she was doing to explore the unusual sound but, this time, neither made any sign that they had noticed.

Several students chuckled at George and Lee as they pretended to have a duel and screamed at Fred when he did something else entirely (Harry didn't even turn to find out what it was) with his wand twirling in the air.

"D'you think Remus is alright?" Hermione troubled.

"I hope so, or maybe Ron just…"

At that precise moment, the portrait hole opened. Harry and Hermione raced over to it and pulled Ron into the Common Room quite a bit more roughly than was prudent.

They both began to interrogate him as soon as he was inside.

"What happened?"

"Is Remus alright?"

"Is the troll still alive?"

"Did he go to the hospital wing?"

"Did Snape help or just watch?"

"Or did they take him to a better hospital, like St. Mungos?"

"I saw that Quirrel was glaring at Snape right before we left…"

"I read that St. Mungos is the best wizarding hospital in Britain. Did he-"

"QUIET!" Ron snapped at them.

Hermione and Harry looked at him, expectantly.

"I don't know all that much, they shooed me away as soon as they had gotten the troll off of Moony."

"Did you wait outside the door?" Harry asked, impatiently.

Hermione glared at him, before looking back at Ron, who answered, "I did at first, but they would have noticed me, so I went back up the hallway a bit and hid behind that Gargoyle-Griffin-Thing."

"And?" Hermione prompted, forgetting that she was against eves-dropping and rule-breaking.

"Well, McGonagall levitated him out of the bathroom, and told Quirrel and Snape, 'Will you two take care of the troll while I take Mr. Lupin to the Hospital Wing?' and then she just left.

Snape and Quirrel don't seem to be much of friends, I'm telling you. They got into an argument as soon as everyone else had left. The other teachers (I'm not sure who all of them are) went to 'inform Dumbledore' and Merlin knows what else, and then Snape started being menacing. I really couldn't hear them well enough, though. Quirrel sounded all scared, too.

Harry looked pensive, "I wish I knew what they said."

"The only thing I heard," Ron said, "was about protecting something. I dunno what it was, though. They never said."

"Protecting something?" wondered Hermione.

"Yeah, Snape said 'You know _exactly_ what I mean! If you find out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's'… and then he said something else. Something about not wanting enemies. Then he got so quiet I couldn't hear the rest."

"Beast of Hagrid's," Harry mused.

"We should ask Remus about it," Hermione stated, "He might know."

"I hope so," said Harry.

"I just hope I didn't kill him," Ron said, his brow furrowed with worry.

* * *

"Please, Madame Pomfrey!"

"We just want to see him for a few minutes!"

"I want to make sure I didn't kill him," someone muttered.

"We'll leave right away, if he wants us to."

Remus' head was pounding, and the four voices that were coming from the other side of the room, sounded like they were shouting.

He forced his eyes open, as he did so often after the full moon, and then blinked furiously against the bright light of the Hospital Wing.

"Just ten minutes!" one voice pleaded.

"Fine, ten minutes, but no more."

Remus pushed himself up, so he was sitting. He scanned the room and saw Harry, Ron and Hermione approaching him from the door of the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey was watching from a distance, to make sure nothing out of the ordinary happened.

The trio of first-years grabbed chairs and sat down. Remus settled himself into a cross-legged position on the bed.

Ron was the first to speak, "Erm… hello. How are you-" he gave a half-hearted sort of laugh, "stupid question. Never mind."

Remus smirked, "I've been worse, don't worry."

The three students let out a simultaneous sigh.

"Good," said Ron, "I was afraid I'd be arrested for murder."

Remus half-smiled.

Ron realized what he'd just said and tried to correct it, "I mean… I was afraid you would be…I wouldn't want you to die…I was…"

Hermione smacked Ron lightly on the back of the head, "Do you think that we'll still be able to go visit _him_ today?"

Remus had been thinking along those same lines, "I'm sure of it," he said, swinging his legs off the bed and standing up.

Madame Pomfrey came bustling over, "You need to stay in bed, today. You're too weak to go gallivanting off to Azkaban and back!"

Apparently someone had informed her of their adventure.

Remus smirked, "I'm sure I'll be fine."

The matron was taken aback for only a second, before saying, "But perhaps a pepperup potion? Or something to relieve a headache?"

Remus thought for a moment and then nodded, "You _know_ I've been worse off than this before. But, I think that would be acceptable."

Shaking her head, Madame Pomfrey walked over to a cabinet full of potions. She came back with two small bottles and a larger one.

She held them out to Remus, but he raised his eyebrows.

"Just take them!" she snapped.

He looked at the three students sitting next to his bed and sighed, "Alright, as long as they won't make me fall asleep," It was almost a question.

"No, they will not make you fall asleep."

Remus smiled and sat down again, "Good."

* * *

Really sorry for the long wait! Really, _really_ sorry! I had so much goin on!

I'm working on the next chapter, and I'll try to get it up soon.

[Next up, the visit to AZKABAN! And an unexpected twist]

Sorry there was no James or Sirius time in this chapter… there will be _plenty_ in the next.

Thanks a lot to all of you who reviewed previous chapters, and especially: CANDY and koriaena who were my only reviewers for chapter 11


	13. Of Lily

DISCLAIMER: Still I do not own anything Pottery. Poor me.

AN: I had a couple interesting plot monkeys that pounded at me until I agreed to put them in, so this chapter is a bit different than I had originally planned. Sorry to all you who wanted a visit to Azkaban this chapter. That will be delayed just a bit. But, fortunately, I know where I'm going now!

And on with the story!

* * *

"Is Remus..." Sirius started.

"I-I think those kids just flattened him!" James declared, sounding quite outraged.

"They can't just _do_ that, can they?" Sirius said, disbelieving.

"They just did." James affirmed.

The two occupants of the cell watched with bated breath as the three children scrambled around trying to find a way of freeing the adult they had dropped a troll on top of.

"Well..." Sirius said, as the kids put together a lever, "At least he's been through things like this before..."

"How is that a good thing?" snapped James.

"I dunno, he'll probably not die from it...er...I hope."

The two friends watched as the first-year students stood up on the lever.

"Oh, no," James gasped, "DON'T JUM-"

They jumped.

Sirius let out a sigh of relief, "It didn't move..."

"This can't be good for him," James moaned.

"Shh..." said Sirius, "I want to see if we can hear what they're saying."

James caused the puddle he was residing in to get closer to the trio and Sirius leaned closer to the puddle's surface.

"_Hermione?"_ Harry's thin voice asked, _"D'you think you could levitate those sinks over here?"_

"_Yeah,"_ Hermione's equally thin voice replied, hopping off the wooden, lever.

"_What is it, Hermione?"_ Harry wondered.

"_I think this should be moved closer to the troll,"_ she said, pointing at the focal point, _"Come off of there, won't you?"_

Harry and Ron jumped off.

All three pushed the balancing point closer to the troll.

"_There, now we should be able to put a smaller amount of weight on this end,"_ Hermione gestured toward the other end, _"and be able to move the troll."_

"Less talk, more saving Moony!" James said.

They moved bits of leftover rubble debris onto their lever.

Hermione sighed, _"Ron, why don't you climb on top of the other stuff to add more weight to the lever."_

"_Why me?"_ Ron asked, grumpily.

"Oh, just do it!" Sirius ordered.

"_Because you're the tallest,"_ Harry pointed out, _"And therefore weigh the most."_

"Smart son you've got," Sirius grinned.

"_Right,"_ agreed Hermione, _"I'm a girl, and Harry's-"_

"_A midget,"_ interjected Ron.

"Hey!" Said James, indignantly.

"_Hey,"_ said Harry, but he didn't sound as upset as James had.

* * *

"Moony hasn't moved at all," Sirius pointed out, for the third time, "Maybe we could find out more if we went back and focused on Harry."

"Alright," James finally gave in, not just because Sirius was right, but because they had watched Remus be levitated to the hospital wing and then treated by Madame Pomfrey. He still hadn't moved and it had almost an hour since Madame Pomfrey had gone, nothing left to be done.

"Finally, Prongs!"

---

Sirius fell asleep after a little while, leaving James to switch from watching Remus Lupin, to Harry, Ron, and Hermione (eventually they split up, and they went to sleep, leaving James no choice but to check on both groups separately), and to Dumbledore.

* * *

Lily watched.

The young girl was still awake, despite it being very early in the morning.

'At least this is more interesting than being dead...'

The child yawned and looked at a clock.

'Go to sleep,' Lily urged.

The girl stretched her arms and then wandered away from her desk. She fell into bed without changing clothes and was asleep almost immediately.

Lily had been watching the young girl for almost a week, and the child wasn't all that interesting. Unfortunately for Lily, she couldn't go very far away from her.

Lily wandered slowly ('hmm... I think you need a body to wander, and I don't have any kind of form. I suppose maybe this would be considered floating or hovering or something...') over to the child's desk. The girl- her mother had called her Ginevra, Lily thought- had been writing a letter to someone... one of her brothers, Lily expected. She seemed to have an endless supply of them.

Going in closer, Lily was able to read the letter.

_Dear Ronald,_

_Well? How's it going? Are the teachers as boring as Fred and George say? Are the other students as annoying as Percy? Dose Harry Potter really go to school their?_

_Everything hear at the Burrow is the same. It's even boringer since you left because now I don't have anyone to talk too 'cept Mum. Dad's been working really long at the Ministry every day, so I don't ever see him either._

_I'm gonna send this with Errol as soon as Mum's not looking._

_Your sister,_

_Ginny_

Lily finished reading it and then looked over it again. 'So Ginevra has a nickname,' she thought, blandly, 'How interesting.'  
  
---

The next morning started out just as the others had. Lily watched as the girl (_Ginny_) woke up, went down to breakfast and ate with her Mum (who Lily recognized as Molly Weasley).

Today, though, instead of practicing flying on one of several old broomsticks that looked as though they had seen much better days, reading a book (or the daily prophet), taking a walk (and sometimes a swim), or listening to Wizarding Wireless, Ginny Weasley spent the rest of the morning cleaning up the house. Lily found this was much more interesting than cleaning a muggle house, for any number of magical messes tended to grow in the Weasley's house.

The reason for the sudden cleaning frenzy became apparent just before lunch time.

When there was a loud knock at the door, Molly continued putting the final touches on the kitchen (the last room they were cleaning) and ordered Ginny to answer the door.

Ginny did and greeted her eldest brother, Bill (whom Lily remembered from school, even though he had only been a first year at the time), and motioned him into the house.

Bill stayed overnight and talked of curses and Egypt. Lily listened, extremely interested in what was happening in the outside world, even though she wasn't all that interested in Egypt.

She may have fallen asleep, if she had been alive, but since she no longer needed sleep, she didn't drift off in concentration at all.

After not acquiring much information, Ginny had to go to bed, and Lily was dragged with her.

"No! Go spy on them, I want to know what they'll say when there are no kids around!" Lily tried to tell Ginny.

The youngest Weasley started a bit when Lily spoke. She looked back out into the hallway and stairs, and then back into her room, trying to find what had disturbed her.

"Can you hear me?" Lily asked.

Ginny made no signs, other than searching the corners of her bedroom before closing the door and getting into bed.

Lily mentally sighed.

* * *

For the next week, Lily kept trying to make a mental connection with Ginny. Once she had actually gotten _inside_ the girl's head and could see everything Ginny could see, and feel everything she could feel. She could even smell the food in the kitchen.

Molly had then called Ginny to the kitchen. Ginny hadn't moved. It took Lily a while to realize that she had actually _taken over_ Ginevra Wesley's body. She had hastened to exit the body.

When Molly then came in search of Ginny, to tell her off, Ginny replied, "Sorry, mum. I heard you, but I couldn't move. It was almost like I was in the full body bind. Except I couldn't breathe."

Lily was thoughtful.

The next evening, Lily was planning on trying it again, as soon as Ginny was asleep.

Again, the girl stayed up late writing letters to her brothers, but she eventually went to bed. After her breathing had steadied, Lily placed herself in the young girl's mind. It worked.

She opened the girl's eyes and sat up, wiggling her fingers and toes. Suddenly, Lily felt a deprived feeling in her sternum. Startled and confused Lily didn't know what to do. When she began to get lightheaded, Lily realized that she had forgotten how to breathe. She opened her mouth and sucked in some air.

'That was close,' she thought, 'I'll have to remember that.'

Lily stood up, shakily, and walked around the room. Her unsteady feet were strong, but uncoordinated.

'Oh, but for being dead for so long!'

The rest of that night, Lily spent remembering how to use a body. At the time Ginny usually woke up, Lily put the body back down in the bed and left it.

That day, Ginny acted much more tired than a 10-year-old should, after getting an almost full night's sleep.

The next night Lily let Ginny sleep undisturbed, but the following evening, Lily entered her mind again- this time, before she was asleep.

Lily tried her best to not control the body, moving to the back of Ginny's mind.

This worked as well.

"Huh?" Ginny wondered, "What was that? Who's there?"

Lily, still forcing herself to the back of Ginny's mind, answered, 'My name is Lily Potter. Can you hear me?'

"Yes," Ginny hesitantly answered, "Where are you?"

Lily mentally sighed.

'I am in your mind.'

"Am I insane?" Ginny wondered.

'No, dear. You are the only one who can hear me, though. I'm dead, you see.'

"Oh," Ginny said, relieved, "So, are you evil?"

Lily almost laughed, 'No. I am just trying to figure out what to do. Do you think you could help me?'

Ginny didn't hesitate, "I'll do my best, L...Lid...Lidia?"

'Lily Potter,' Lily supplied.

"Oh, yeah" Ginny did a double take, "Potter?"

Lily hesitated, 'Yes.'

"Did you have a son?" Ginny asked, beginning to get excited.

'Yes.'

"Was his name Harry?" Ginny was practically bouncing up and down in her seat.

'Yes.'

"Harry Potter?"

'Yes,'

"YOU'RE HARRY POTTER'S MUM?!"

Lily was a bit taken aback.

'Yes.'

"Wow!" Ginny was in awe.

'What?!' Lily demanded, 'Did something happen to him? Is he alright?'

"'Is he alright?'" Ginny repeated, "Yeah. He's fine. That's why he's famous!"

'Famous?'

"I have a famous person's mother in my head!" Ginny said.

'Why's he famous?' Lily wondered.

"Because he survived the killing curse! He killed You-Know-Who! He saved the world!"

Lily was stunned.

Harry was still alive and had defeated the Dark Lord.

Lily thought back to when she died, and she mentally grinned. It had worked! She had sacrificed herself and Harry was still alive!

'He's alive,' was all Lily could say.

"Yeah. So, what do you want me to help you with?"

'Oh,' Lily pulled her thoughts from her son, 'I suppose I need to tell someone about my... er... appearance back in the land of the living.'

"Who were you thinking of?" Ginny asked

'Well, Molly, for starters. Your mother.'

"That sounds good. We can try. But it's getting late, now. Can we talk to her tomorrow?"

'Yeah,' Lily told her, 'that's fine.'

---

The next morning, Lily reminded Ginny about her promise. Right away, Ginny went to the kitchen, where her mum was making breakfast for her father.

"I'm just relieved I don't have to go in early. I'm not sure how much more of this I'll be able to take," Arthur was saying, "It's almost as bad as when You-Know-Who was around."

'Voldemort,' Lily corrected, automatically.

Ginny flinched.

'Oh, sorry, Ginevra.'

"Ginny," the girl corrected, also automatically.

Arthur looked at his daughter and his brow furrowed. Suddenly he shot up, saying "Thank you for reminding me, Gin!" and raced out of the room.

'Go ahead and talk to Molly now.' Lily said, slightly confused at why Arthur had raced away like that.

Ginny nodded and walked up to her.

"Hi, Mum."

Molly mumbled a hello back.

"Er, Mum? Can I tell you something?"

Molly absentmindedly nodded, "Mmhmm."

"Well, I've got a... an old friend of yours... in my head. She says she wants to talk to you."

Molly didn't answer, but continued bustling about the kitchen.

"Is that alright, Mum?" Ginny asked, after a few minutes.

"Oh. Yes, that's nice, dear." Molly Weasley said, flicking her wand.

Ginny opened her mouth to reply, when Arthur came bounding down the stairs and back into the kitchen.

"I had almost forgotten! Osias would've boiled me in his cauldron alive!"

"That's lovely, honey."

Well, Molly would be no help, Lily decided. But she _had_ given her an idea.

Arthur had just sat down at the table again, waiting for Molly to finish making his breakfast, when his only daughter (and the only Weasley girl for a few generations) walked up to him with an innocent look on her face.

"Good morning," she said.

"Morning, Ginny." Arthur replied.

"I was wondering," Ginny said, an unusual amount of deliberation in her voice, "if I could accompany... I mean, er," she paused, "Can I come to work with you today?"

'So far so good,' Lily told Ginny.

Mr. Weasley was thinking about it.

Uh oh. Lily knew that look. He wasn't liking his options! He was going to say no!

'Quick,' said Lily, 'give him the puppy-dog eyes!'

Ginny did.

Arthur Weasley couldn't resist them.

He relented.

'YES!' Lily said, 'VICTORIOUS!'

Ginny smiled, "Thank you so much, Dad! I can't wait!" and she sprinted up to her room.

"Did I do alright?" she wondered, when they got there.

'You did just fine,' Lily told her.

"What will we do when we get there?"

'I need to check in the werewolf registration area for a record titled "Remus Lupin." He's the only person I know how to find that I trust with my life. To bad we didn't before. It would've saved a lot of heartache.'

"Okay," Ginny said, sounding slightly confused.

'Oh, don't worry. Werewolves are vastly misunderstood. A kinder person you couldn't find. And Remus is a great friend of mine. I promise you, he wouldn't hurt a fly if he could help it.'

"Oh, good."

'Wait, I've just thought of something else,' Lily said, 'It's going to be a problem if you seem to be talking to yourself. Do you think that you could talk to me through your mind?'

"I'll try," Ginny replied, screwing up her face in concentration.

'Hello?'

'Good job!'

"Did I do it?"

'Yes, I think so. Try again.'

'Hello? Does it work? Lily?'

'Yes! It worked, Ginny!'

'Great!'

"Ginny? Are you coming?" a voice called from downstairs, "You have to eat something if you're going to follow your father about all day."

* * *

"Well," Remus told his small audience, "I feel much better,"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione let out sighs of relief. Madame Pomfrey seemed to know he would, after taking the potions she had prescribed, and simply clucked edgily and bustled about the Hospital Wing, cleaning up.

"And I _do_ believe I am ready to begin our voyage. Are you three-" Remus didn't even need to finish his thought.

* * *

Ginny felt dizzy. She really _didn't_ _like_ using floo powder.

"Sorry, Ginny, but it's the fastest way to get to downtown London. And, anyways, I am really not in the mood to go through the visitor's entrance," Arthur Weasley told his daughter.

"No, no. It's fine, Dad. Perfectly alright."

Ginny followed her father along the halls until he reached his office, which was a surprisingly short time.

Ginny examined his "room" as Arthur got to work. Unfortunately for Ginny, it was almost completely paperwork today.

Soon, Ginny became tired of her situation and started talking to Lily, 'So, Mrs. Potter, what's our plan?'

' 'Lily' is fine. And I'm not quite sure where we should go from here, to be completely honest. Sneaking and marauding were never my neck of the woods. That was James and his friends.'

'Oh. So...'

'Actually, I have an idea. I'm going to leave your head and see how far I can get, ok?'

'OK. Will you tell me when you get back?' Ginny pleaded.

'Sure.'

Lily slid herself from Ginny's mind.

She knew it was on one of the floors near this one.

The first direction she tried was down.

She quickly determined that down was the wrong direction.

So she went up.

When she emerged from the ground on the next floor, she noticed she was in an unremarkable hallway.

Luckily, Lily had a good memory, and remembered this hallway from when Remus had taken them there, the summer after graduation. This was the correct place.

Lily decided that she would find the right door and check for security before she went back to tell Ginny.

After refreshing her memory of the area, and finding the area Remus' file would be in, she shot back through the floor and right into Ginny.

Ginny stumbled as Lily entered, but soon regained her composure.

'What's up?' she silently wondered.

'Well,' Lily told her, 'I found out where we need to go. The only thing we need to figure out is how to ditch your dad.'

Ginny grinned.

'No worries, then.'

"Hey, father?"

"Hmm?" Arthur looked up from his work.

"May I explore the Atrium? I want to see the Fountain for myself. I haven't seen it since I was small and I really want to." Ginny gave him her biggest eyes and then insisted, "I'll be really, really careful."

Arthur looked her over suspiciously, but found no reason to avoid letting her go. And it _was_ awfully boring for her in his office.

"Alright. Do be careful, though. If you're hurt your mother will skin me alive."

Ginny hurried out, replying, "Sure, Dad."

* * *

Lily directed Ginny upstairs one floor and then down several hallways before selecting the correct doorway. She floated ahead to check if the coast was still clear, found that it was, and then relayed the message to Ginny.

Ginny pushed the door open. Inside there were file cabinets. Hundreds upon hundreds of file cabinets.

"Wow," sighed Ginny, "There sure are a lot of werewolves."

'Yeah,' agreed Lily, 'Remus' file is over there.'

Ginny felt a tug. She found herself being gently led to the 'L' section. The feeling ceased directly in front of a cabinet labeled "Lupin".

'That was wicked!' Ginny said.

'And convenient,' agreed Lily.

'We'll have to remember that.'

'Yeah, we will. But now,' Lily said, 'Let's find out what Remus is up to.'

Ginny opened the top drawer.

* * *

'He's _still_ living there?' Lily felt extremely bad for her werewolf friend. 'He hasn't had the money to find a better house? Werewolves must be even more horribly discriminated against these days.'

'Maybe. So, do we go to his house?'

'No,' replied Lily, 'there should be another folder that has his current location.'

'Oh. Okay.'

Ginny rummaged around until she found the correct folder.

Lily made a strange sound.

'Hogwarts?! Why is he at Hogwarts?!'

'Er, does he work there?' Ginny suggested.

'No, it says he's currently unemployed,' Lily told her friend.

'Well, maybe he's visiting?' Ginny offered.

'Yeah. Maybe.'

'So, we're going to Hogwarts, then?' Ginny figured.

'We're going to Hogwarts.'

* * *

Thanks very much to:

cassy-australia, sumrandumperson, james'nsiriusfan, sirius, I-want-to-fly, hobbits soul, Candystar, and koriaena!

You all really helped to motivate me!

And hopefully still will.

I am going on a brief vacation, so I may not update as soon as we would all like. I'll spend my free time focusing on the story though.

Thanks again.

And Review, please!

Kiwi Jeanne


	14. Of Wormtail

DISCLAIMER: If you could see me, you'd understand that I'm not the wonderful JK Rowling, and I don't own anything from the Potter universe. Please don't sue.

AN: Wow, I got this out sooner than I though I would. Fifteen pages, this time. I hope everybody likes it. Finally, we get to visit Azkaban!

-does a dance-

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand, on with the story!

* * *

Ginny stepped out of the fireplace, her head spinning.

'I really, _really_ don't like using Floo powder,' she reminded Lily.

'Yeah,' Lily replied, 'I know you don't.'

Regaining her composure, Ginny wondered, 'Where are we?'

'Hogwarts.'

'I _know_ that. I meant; where _in_ Hogwarts are we?'

'Oh. Of course,' Lily examined their surroundings carefully, but she knew right away, 'Hasn't changed much. Dumbledore's office, this is. Actually, I don't think it's changed at all.'

'So, where's Remus, d'you think?'

'I've really no idea. We should probably leave , though, since he's not _here_.'

Lily directed Ginny down a set of spiral stairs, but before they got any farther, they bumped into Dumbledore. Not literally, for Dumbledore moved out of the way, only a brief raise of his eyebrows indicated any surprise from the old man.

"Hello, Miss Weasley. May I enquire as to why you were in my office? Or at Hogwarts at all?" Dumbledore's calm voice was soft and kind. Lily was blown away by a rush of memories, while Ginny was comforted by the paternal presence.

"Hello," Ginny said.

* * *

Albus watched as Ginny's face was cleared of all emotion. She seemed to go into an extremely brief meditation state. When she looked up at him again, she said, "I have to relay an exceedingly important message to you. And could we please step into your office?"

Her face slackened again, but she appeared to be listening still, so Albus answered.

"That is quite fine, Miss Weasley. After you."

Ginny walked back up the stairs and Albus Dumbledore followed a few steps after her.

When they were both seated comfortably, (and Lemon Drops had been offered) Albus asked, "What is this important message? Is it from your mother?"

"Oh, no," Ginny said, "No, not from her."

"Does she know you're here? Or your father?"

Ginny turned red around the edges. Quietly, she mumbled, "No."

Albus waited patiently until Ginny was ready to speak.

"No, I was sent by someone else."

"Who?" Dumbledore asked the child, softly.

"Er... you'll probably not believe me," Ginny whispered, looking up at him.

"Who is it? Who sent you?"

"She's kind of... she's sorta... er... you won't believe me... 'cause she's... dead," Ginny finished lamely.

"Dead?" repeated Albus.

"Yes. And Mum wouldn't believe me, so she told me to come to work with Dad and find the file on a werewolf, but he wasn't home, he was here, so she told me to Floo here. We ended up in your office, but before we found him we found you so..." Ginny trailed off.

"Who is 'She'?" Albus asked the girl.

"Oh," Ginny turned red again, "Just a minute."

Ginny's face slackened again, her mouth hanging open a little and her eyes blank.

Her face cleared up, "She thinks it'd be easier if she took over for a moment."

For the fourth time, Ginny's body became limp. This time was more so, however. She ceased everything. Her head lolled forward onto her chest, and she even stopped breathing.

Albus was a tad flustered, but before he could so much as pull out his wand, Ginny had taken a deep breath (in a strangely unnatural way) and was smiling at him.

"Hello!" she said brightly.

Albus didn't know what to think. They had already greeted. A while ago, now.

"Hello again, Miss Weasley."

Ginny's hand met her head with a small "thwack".

"Miss Weasley I am not, Headmaster," Ginny's body told him.

"You are 'She'?"

"I am She. It is so odd to see you confused, Albus," Ginny's body grinned, "But it _is_ so bloody good to see you!"

Suddenly and unexpectedly, Albus found a pair of small arms wrapped around his midriff. He was silently stunned.

"You've taken over young Ginevra Weasley's body?"

"Oh, only temporarily. And I asked first, don't worry," she assured him, backing away, and sitting down.

"You are dead." Albus stated, more of a question, really.

"Of course I'm d-" Ginny's body trailed off and then whacked herself on the head again, "You still don't know who I am. Bloody careless of me. Oops." Ginny's face turned red and she covered her mouth with a hand, "Forgive my language, Albus. I suppose I've been around the Marauders too much."

"The Marauders?"

"Yes. One would think that being married would calm him and his friends down a bit, but such is not the case, unfortunately."

"Married?"

"Yes, married," She said.

"Who _are_ you?" Albus asked.

She smiled, "Lily Potter. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Albus' face was impassive, "Forgive me if I don't believe you right away. Do you have any proof to offer?"

"What kind of proof? You are free to ask any questions you want."

"Something only a few people know of, would be adequate."

A look of pleased understanding crossed Ginny's face, "Oh, I know _exactly_ what your talking about! She grinned happily, "The Order, of course. How is everyone doing? Alice is alright? How is baby Neville?"

Albus was mildly surprised, "Yes. The Order. I'm sorry to say that Frank and Alice are not alright, but Neville is doing quite well. He was sorted into Gryffindor earlier this year."

"Oh, I'd forgotten how much time has passed," the girl said, frowning, "Frank and Alice are...?"

"No, they're not dead. Not long after Voldemort's death, however, they were caught by some Death Eaters. They seemed to think that they knew what had happened to their lord. Both Frank and Alice are now in St Mungos mental ward. They don't even recognize their own son."

"Was it Crucio? They were tortured to insanity with the Cruciatus Curse?"

"Yes, I'm afraid it was," Albus answered.

Ginny's face turned grave, "Did the catch the... _people_... who did it?"

"Yes. They were put into Azkaban."

"Good," She looked relieved, "Now, I suppose, you want more proof of who I am. Alright, here goes: My name is Lily Potter, but my maiden name was Lily Evans. I was born to muggle parents and have one muggle sister (Petunia). I was in the top of my class in all of the subjects, during school. I _was_ the top in Charms. The subjects other than Charms, I was competing with James, Sirius, Remus and Severus.

"I was a Prefect ((AN: I'm not sure about that... _was_ she a Prefect? I think so)) along with Remus Lupin, and I was Head Girl in my seventh year. James Potter was Head Boy. We got married not too long after school, even though I had despised him up until the end of our schooling. We both joined the Order of the Phoenix along with three of James' friends."

Albus nodded in confirmation of the information given.

"Do you have any questions?" she wondered, "About whether or not I'm Lily Evans-Potter?"

"Only one," Albus replied, "Who betrayed you and James to your deaths?"

'Lily's' face closed off. Albus almost expected her to growl her answer at him, but instead, her would-be-calm voice told him, "Peter Pettigrew."

Albus nodded, gravely, "I was almost sure that would be your answer. A Death Eater would have played to everyone else's belief and say Sirius Black."

"Sirius?!" Lily yelped, "Why would anyone suspect Sirius?"

Dumbledore's face held an even more distressing appearance after Lily asked. In fact, it was the most regretful that Lily had ever seen her headmaster.

"The public would suspect Sirius because of his involvement with the Death Eaters, the murdering of 12 muggles and one wizard. He was convicted and sentenced to life in Azkaban for the murders of 13 people, including one of the Potter's dearest and most loyal friends; Peter Pettigrew."

Lily's borrowed mouth was hanging open, "M-mur-murder? D-did he...? He didn't do it, though, did he, headmaster? Sirius would never... never _ever_ do that. He may be a bit... a bit reckless, but he's not a m-murderer."

"I'm afraid I _did_ think he'd done all of those things for ten long years. Your recent appearance has proved me wrong. Sirius is... innocent. Convicted and sentenced to ten years and counting. And, yet, he's innocent."

"T-t-te-ten _years_? Sirius has been locked up for _ten **years**_?! In **_AZKABAN_**?!"

"I am truly sorry, Lily. I couldn't have made a worse mistake," and he looked it. There was no twinkle in the blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore. He was human. He'd made a mistake.

"Is he... is he insane, Albus? Tell me he's not insane!"

"Not that I am aware of, no. In fact, everyone who's spoken to him was surprised at how rational he was."

"A-and Harry? He's... he's been...?"

"He's been with his aunt and uncle. He's safe there."

"_PETUNIA_?! ALBUS, SHE _HATES_ MAGIC! THERE COULDN'T BE A WORSE PLACE TO PUT A BABY. TELL ME HE'S NOT GOING TO STAY THERE FOR THE REST OF HIS _LIFE_?!"

There was something about being scolded by a red-head half your size and too young to go to your school that stunned the great wizard, Albus Dumbledore. He had no choice but to watch Lily bellow at him until her little face was as red as her hair, and her eyes blazed green.

Until her eyes blazed green.

* * *

"Wake up, Padfoot! Things are happening!"

Sirius Black stirred at the sound of his now-dead-best-friend, but didn't awaken.

"Don't make me splash you," James' voice warned.

"Mmmuh rraagh," Sirius answered.

"I swear I'll do it, Padfoot!"

This didn't get a response.

"Even _Remus_ woke up before you! And he was hit with a _troll_!"

"Go'way, James," Sirius replied, "I'm _tired_."

"Honestly, Sirius."

"_Nuh_ uh."

"SIRIUS BLACK, WAKE UP RIGHT NOW!" roared James, ripples covering the surface of his puddle.

James barely heard a reply. A growl, a dog being disturbed during his nap, came from Sirius.

James sighed. Water always did the job, but he hated being the one doing it. Oh, well. Nothing for it now.

SPLASH!

"AAAAAARGH!" A high-pitched shriek tore through the air. James was fairly sure they could hear it on the mainland. And most certainly all throughout the prison.

"Sirius, you scream like a girl."

"YOUWOULDTOOAFTERBEINGWOKENLIKETHAT!" Sirius' walked over to the puddle and slapped his foot against it, spraying water everywhere. His pale face was tinged with red and pink and his eyes were as large as Galleons, "THAT WATER IS _COLD_!"

"Sorry, mate, but you _know_ it's the only way to wake you up," James apologized, "And _stuff_ is happening."

"Stuff. 'Stuff is happening.' Stuff," Sirius muttered, grumpily.

"Yes," James repeated, "Stuff is happening."

"What kind of stuff, may I ask?"

"Remus woke up. And then I tried to wake you up. And, let me tell you, Padfoot, you are the most difficult person I have ever..."

"Shut up, James," Sirius snapped, "Let's see him, then."

While James obliged, Sirius realized something, "That was the only time, since I've been here that I've slept deeply. I wonder..." he stopped and his eyes grew even more round, "The dementors!"

"What about them?" came James' voice.

"I can't feel them. They..." Sirius stood up straight and took the half-step that was necessary to reach the door and looked out, "They're still out there, but I can't feel a thing. Nothing! I'm not cold or sad or... or anything."

"Hmm, well that's strange. Look here, Sirius, I've found them."

Sirius sat down, cross-legged, facing the pool of water and asked, "What are they doing? Where are they?"

"Looks to me like their boarding the Knight Bus," said James, "and it looks like Hogsmede that they're boarding from."

"What in Merlin's name are they doing out of school?" asked Sirius, gesturing towards Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"I'm not _sure_ about that, but it's a Saturday. Therefore, they aren't missing any classes, if that's what your worried about," Sirius could tell that if James had had a body, he would have been flashing his horrid You-Know-I'm-Right-So-Don't-Deny-It grin at him, and raising his eyebrows.

Sirius sniffed in a way that reminded James of the Malfoys or the Blacks, and said, "Of _course_ not. Harry's _your_ kid. _I_ certainly don't care if he misses class."

"Sirius!" James teased, "I never should have appointed you Harry's godfather. You'd've been horrible at it."

"Oh, come on, now," Sirius replied, "I was only joking."

"Yeah, I know," James said.

"I wonder where they're going?"

"We'll just have to wait and see."

They waited, but they really didn't see much. James and Sirius took note of the things the foursome did while on the purple, triple-decker bus, but that mostly included holding on for dear life.

They also took note of which towns they passed, although this was easier said than done because the bus went so fast.

When it finally stopped, Sirius and James were nice and dizzy. It appeared that the other four were, too.

By the time everyone had regained their senses, the bus had left. Sirius heard Harry say, "I am _never_ doing that again. Unless my life depended on it, I suppose."

"I'm with the kid," Sirius told James, "I don't like the Knight Bus much, either."

"Nor do I, Sirius, now shush!"

Sirius leaned in closer to the puddle, uncrossing his legs and laying on his belly.

"How do we get there?" asked Hermione Granger's voice, from the puddle.

"Follow me," directed Remus.

The children followed him.

When they reached their destination, Sirius let out a random sound.

"G_uhrred!_"

"You're _right_, Sirius!" James exclaimed, "That's the boat transportation to _Azkaban_. I mean here."

"W-what are they coming _here_ for?"

James replied, "Maybe... maybe they are coming to question you?"

"Why, though? Mooney already did that. Before you came, I mean."

"Maybe Remus thought of something else to ask you? Or maybe everyone believes you, finally. Or maybe they caught Wormtail."

Sirius sighed, "Stop getting my hopes up, James!"

They watched silently as Remus, accompanied by the three children disembarked the boat and walked up to the human guard.

"Well," said James, "they certainly are coming to see _you_."

"How do _you_ know?" Sirius asked, mock-suspiciously.

"Remember all those times I had guard duty when we were Aurors? Besides, it might come with being dead, but I can almost sense it."

"Right, then, Prongs." Sirius said.

The guard handed Remus a set of keys and then waved them in the direction of Sirius' cell.

The children followed Remus down a hallway.

"Sirius?" James inquired.

"Huh?" Sirius asked.

"You're probably not gonna want to talk to me while they're here. They'll think you're insane."

* * *

Harry, his pockets stuffed with chocolate, followed Remus down what the adult had said was the last hallway. Harry was glad. He really _didn't like_ dementors. The first time they had approached one, he'd almost fainted (and it was all the way on the other side of the hallway), but Remus noticed Harry's ailment and cast '_Expecto Patronum_' which made a huge silver bear, or maybe it was a dog. Anyway, it chased the dementor away.

As they walked, Harry became aware of a hoarse voice speaking.

"Huh?" the voice said.

The foursome got closer to the cell the voice was coming from.

"James, they already think I'm insane, but you're right, as usual," the same voice said.

Remus' eyebrows were pressed together. He was distressed, Harry could tell.

* * *

Remus approached Sirius' cell and was disturbed to hear Sirius talking to himself. He'd thought Sirius was sane.

What a pity.

And he'd used the word, "James."

This wasn't promising.

As he approached the cell, Remus could see Sirius.

The convict was laying down on the ground, stretched out as far as was possible in the tiny cell. He was facing a puddle in the corner of his cell and he was addressing it, quite seriously.

"So, where are they now?

"I _know_ they stopped, James, but _why_?

"Outside the... oh."

Sirius stood up. Smiling, he turned to face Remus, "Hello, Mooney."

Remus was startled. How had Sirius known he was there? He hadn't made any noise and neither had the students.

"Hello, Black."

Remus could see the disappointment on animagus' face.

"Merlin, you _still_ don't believe me," Sirius looked at the kids, "Hello Harry," he said, nodding to him, "Ron, Hermione."

There was the sound of moving water from somewhere inside the cell, and Sirius let out a yelp.

"What?!," he demanded, looking around, annoyed.

"Well I'm so-rry. I forgot.

"Right, right. Shutting up, now."

Sirius turned back to Remus, "Heh, sorry. Er, who are these kids you've brought with you?"

Remus looked sternly at the convicted murderer.

"Uh," said Sirius, "n-never mind."

Remus sighed, "I'm confused," he admitted to Sirius, "How did you know I was behind you and what Harry, Ron and Hermione's names were?"

Sirius looked uncomfortable, "I dunno, lucky guess?"

"Hermione isn't a very common name, Sirius."

"Well, she looks like a Hermione," Sirius defended.

"Fine," Remus gave up.

"So..." Sirius said, looking at Harry, "How's school going, Prongslet? D'you like Hogwarts?"

"Yeah," Harry muttered, "I like it a lot. Much better than at the _Dursley's_. Very exciting, though."

"Yeah, I bet," Sirius grinned, "but Remus is looking loads better."

Remus looked incredulously at Sirius, "What?"

"Well, you always had a quick rebound time. Not to mention, Madame Pomfrey can fix just about anything."

"Are you talking about the full moon, or..."

"No, I meant the Moun-" there was another splash from the corner of the cell, "Oh, yes, of _course_ I meant the full moon. Why on _Earth_ would you think I was talking about a troll?"

Remus looked at Sirius, "How did you know about that...?"

"Oh," Sirius looked uncomfortable, "Lucky guess? I, er, I thought it was bound to happen one of these times."

"You thought, one of these times, I would be hit with a mountain troll," Remus wondered.

"I... er... heh... yes?"

"Do you _really_ expect me to believe that?" Remus demanded.

"No," Sirius muttered, "I guess not."

"Well, then, _what happened_? How did you _know_ all that stuff?"

"Er..."

A change came over Sirius' body.

"_I did it_," he said, but his voice was unnatural.

"Excuse me?" Remus asked, completely perplexed.

"_I_ did it," Sirius repeated, "It's _my_ fault James and Lily are dead. _I_ killed them."

Remus found his mouth was wide open, "W-what?"

"I sold them b-b-both to the Dark Lord," his voice was strained and tight, "I am a Death Eater and I told You-Know-Who where to find them. It's my f-fault they're d- my fault they're- no."

"You did it?"

"Yea-no," Sirius lurched forward catching himself on the wall, "Yes, I did it... NO! I didn't... yes you did... NEVER!"

"What's happening?" Hermione asked, quietly, "Is he going insane?"

"I don't kn-"

Sirius began beating his head against the wall, "GET- OUT- RIGHT- NOW!

"You d-did it, you filthy dog...I m-mean I am Sirius Black, and I killed J-James an-nd Li-Lily P-Pott-ter..." Sirius' voice was becoming more and more strained and his words were being forced through gritted teeth, "_NO! I WOULD NEVER_..." Sirius shivered and thumped his head hard against the wall again.

"S-Sirius?" Remus asked.

Sirius spoke again, but it wasn't his voice, "GET OUT OF HIS HEAD, WORMTAIL, OR I WILL _PERSONALLY_ MAKE YOU PAY.

"Stop, James... I'll handle... it...

Sirius stood up tall and took a deep breath, "I..." he said, but then doubled over coughing, "I w-won't s-say it... I didn't d-do it! LEAVE ME _ALONE_!

"Shut up, Black.

"Stop... Pettigrew... Imperious Curse..." Sirius gasped, coughing again and falling to the ground. He beat his head once against the ground, "Help... Remus..."

Remus caught the meaning. Sirius was telling him that Peter Pettigrew was using the Imperious Curse on him. Now, the question was, did Remus trust him?

_Maybe_ he did...

The werewolf looked to the children for help.

Harry and Ron looked completely confused. They hadn't understood what Sirius had indicated.

Hermione had, "I think he's telling the truth," she whispered.

Remus nodded. He would take the chance.

He unlocked and opened the door. His wand trained on Sirius, he said, "Sirius? I believe you. You're innocent. Pettigrew is the one who betrayed us and the Potters."

Sirius' convulsing body went limp. He was extremely pale and a trickle of blood was flowing down the side of his head.

"Sirius?"

Sirius twitched.

"Are you alright?"

The convict rolled onto his side, letting out a moan, "Remus," he called, his voice hoarse, "He's still there... stun me."

Remus nodded and flicked his wand, "_Stupefy_."

Silence.

"What'd you do to him?" Ron asked, finally.

"Stunned him," Hermione answered for Remus.

"Why?"

"So Peter looses his grip on Sirius' mind," Remus answered.

"Well, has he lost it yet? Can we wake him up?" Ron asked, pointing at Sirius' limp body.

"Another minute," Remus said, "Sirius is fighting Peter off mentally."

"But," Ron was confused, "wait a minute, isn't Peter locked up in the Ministry?"

"He was," Remus confirmed, "but maybe he's not, anymore. Or maybe he can use the Imperious Curse without a wand. I'm not sure."

Harry suddenly walked passed Remus and into the cell. He kneeled down next to the convict and looked at him.

Harry looked so innocent, Remus noticed, so naïve. Also so sad. How was that possible?

"He's innocent," Harry said, quietly, "It was Pettigrew who did it, not him."

Remus didn't ask how Harry was so sure.

"I'm going to wake him, now," Remus told Harry.

Harry nodded, but didn't move, "I know he's innocent, Remus."

Remus sighed, and asked Harry to move away, assuring him that he could stay part-way in the cell if he wanted to.

"Ennervate," Remus said, after Harry had moved, pointing his wand at his animagus friend.

Sirius stirred.

Slowly he opened his eyes and looked around.

Remus raised his eyebrows in question, when Sirius' eyes lingered on him.

"Yeah," Sirius rasped, "He's gone, now."

"A-are you... alright?" Remus asked, dreading the answer.

Sirius pushed the ground away from himself and sat up, "Yeh- yeah," he stuttered, "'M fine."

"Sirius," said Remus, quietly, "you don't _look_ fine."

"Acting a little _unordinary_ at the very least?" Sirius chuckled.

Remus raised his eyebrows again, "What?"

"Oh, nothing," Sirius chuckled again, "Someone said, and I quote, "You said no one's been hurt, did you? I would call the way you're acting a little _unordinary_ at the very least." Unquote."

"Who-" Remus wondered.

"You just sounded like him, is all," Sirius interrupted.

Remus shrugged, "Alright."

Sirius looked around at the three children, "So," he said, cheerfully, looking at Hermione and Ron, "How do _you_ two like Hogwarts?"

"Er..." Ron answered.

"Oh, _I_ absolutely _love_ it!" Hermione replied, excitedly, "There is _so_ much to learn! ("Another Lily," Sirius muttered) We've only been here two months, but I love it already! The teachers are great!"

Sirius looked at her, mock-sternly, one eyebrow raised, "_All_ of them?"

Hermione turned pink and Harry spoke up, "Not _Snape_! _He's_ not great! Sorry, Hermione, but he's always bias to Slytherin and against Gryffindor. It's really unfair," he added to Sirius.

"Yeah," Sirius said, smirking, "That's what I _thought_ she said."

"Why do I get the feeling that you know too much?" Remus asked.

Sirius froze for less than a moment, before covering it up, "Nonsense, Remus. I always knew Dumbledore felt sorry for Snivellus. Oh, sorry," he corrected, seeing Hermione's face, "_Professor_ Snivellus."

"Oh," Remus said, thoughtfully, "right."

"Say," said Sirius, suddenly looking uncomfortable, "could you... er... not point your wand at my face? Or, at least, not _everyone_. I swear I won't try and _do_ anything."

Remus noticed that his (and everyone else's) wands were pointed directly between Sirius' eyes.

"Oh..." Remus turned around and nodded at the three students. They put their wands away, and then Remus lowered his own, "Sorry, Sirius."

"Oh, no. Don't apologize, it's fine. You never know, when you're in Azkaban, eh, Remus?"

Remus shrugged again.

"I could be insane. Quite mad, these dementors make most people," Sirius grinned at Hermione.

"Except, you're not," Harry said, firmly, "You're not insane at all."

Sirius' gaze moved to Harry, "No," he said, quietly, "I'm not."

There was an honest note in Sirius' voice that Remus wasn't accustomed to hearing, even (especially) in school.

* * *

That's all folks!

Well, for this chapter, anyways.

Are you excited to see what happens next? Do you want me to update? Are you outraged at how I'm mutilating the books? Leave a review and tell me about it!

I now have a total of 80 reviews! Hurray!

Only 20 more until 100!

Thanks much to:

sumrandumperson: Thanks! I like the idea of Lily too. I hope you liked the beginning of this chapter, then.

I-want-to-fly: yes the James and Lily things are linked

koriaena: yeah, I agree. Peter _is_ a total idiot and jerk. And now, after this chapter, everyone will probably agree.

Mariann: no, James is only in the one puddle.

gabwr: thanks! You're so nice.

hobbits soul: I'm glad you kept reading.


	15. Of Azkaban Visits and Patroni

DISCLAIMER: Hello, my name is Kiwi Jeanne and I don't own Harry Potter!

-walks around in a circle _not owning Harry Potter_-

AN: Hello, everyone! I am finally updating! Yay for me! Not a bad length, 12 pages this chapter, and more of the visit to Azkaban!

* * *

Last chapter:

"I could be insane. Quite mad, these dementors make most people," Sirius grinned at Hermione.

"Except, you're not," Harry said, firmly, "You're not insane at all."

Sirius' gaze moved to Harry, "No," he said, quietly, "I'm not."

There was an honest note in Sirius' voice that Remus wasn't accustomed to hearing, even (especially) in school.

* * *

"So..." said Sirius cheerfully, into the odd silence.

"Er...so... Why _aren't_ you... er...?" Remus started.

"Insane?" finished Sirius, "I'm not precisely sure why not. Probably because I knew I was innocent. Oh, and I can turn into a dog. That's always helpful."

"Oh."

"Not to mention, for some reason, the dementors don't seem to effect me anymore. Quite odd. They have for ten years and all of a sudden, I can't feel a thing."

Remus was startled, "Did you do anything differently?" he asked.

Sirius looked uncomfortable again, "Er... no, _I_ didn't do anything differently."

"_You_ didn't? Then who _did_?"

"Er... I, uh... I don't exactly remember?" Sirius asked.

"Uh huh. Sure, you don't, Bl... Sirius."

Sirius leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms, looking strangely casual, "First name. Good thing to use. Last name was getting a bit boring. I don't _like_ to be 'a Black.'"

"Er..."

"You know how much I hate my family." Sirius continued.

"Mmhmm."

Sirius sighed, "Remus, say something. You've been pretty quiet, more so than at school. And your one word answers are beginning to bore me," Sirius covered his mouth in a fake yawn to express his boredom.

Remus unstuck his mouth.

"I-"

"There, you see?" Sirius interrupted, grinning contently, "Another one word answer."

"I-"

"It's also a one _letter_ answer. Silly Mooney. Speak in full sentences."

"_Sirius!_" Remus threw his hands into the air in exasperation.

Sirius looked at the three children and raised his eyebrows, smirking again.

"One word, again, Mooney, old pal."

"Sirius, I'm confused..."

"As usual," Sirius stated, grinning nonchalantly, "Go on."

"How can you be so..." Remus gestured around the cell and at Sirius, still leaning up against the wall, calmly.

"So...? 'So' what, Mooney?"

"So... er... composed?"

Sirius grinned, "Composed, cool, calm, collected, unruffled, and serene?"

"Erm..." Remus blinked, "Yeah. How can you?"

"Would you feel better if I was screaming at the top of my lungs to be let out of here? I can do that, you know," Sirius took a deep breath, as if to illustrate this, but Remus held up his hand.

"No, that's not necessary, Bla- Sirius."

"Well," Sirius answered, "I believe I am calm because there no reason to be otherwise."

Remus was confused; since when did Sirius talk like that?

"Sirius, all the other prisoners seem to think there is a reason to lack self-control," Remus pointed out.

"And since when am I 'all the other' anything?" Sirius joked.

"Since you've been locked up here for ten years," Remus replied, quietly, looking down at his feet.

Slowly, Sirius stood up. He walked over to Remus and, propping up the werewolf's chin, looked him straight in the eye.

"Don't you dare blame yourself, my friend," Sirius Black told him, "I kept my sanity mostly because I know I'm innocent. And I'll continue to keep it, thank you very much."

There was a soft thump, and Sirius was seated comfortably against the grimy wall, again.

Hermione raised her hand quietly, "Er... does being an Animagus help, too?"

Sirius laughed, "Oh, yeah. That's helpful too. And you don't have to raise your hand, Hermione. I'm not Snivellus."

Hermione put her hand down.

"Say, Mooney? What time do you four have to leave here, anyways?" Sirius wondered, looking at his wrist to demonstrate.

"Er..." Remus looked at his worn wristwatch and replied, "Not for another hour or so."

"Oh, that's good," Sirius said.

For a minute there was silence and Sirius seemed to look off into space.

Suddenly Sirius' eyes went wide and he whipped around 180 degrees to look at a small collection of water in the corner of his cell.

Remus watched as Sirius flattened his body onto the ground and placed his face as close as was humanly possible to it.

Sirius babbled incomprehensibly for a moment, before jumping up onto his feet and striding to the door.

Remus backed out of it and raised his wand at Sirius again, "Careful, Sirius. You can't go anywhere, or we'll be in trouble."

Sirius waved him away, "No, Remus, it's not that. It's G-girvea? No, Ginerva? Sorry. Something about a girl named Ginny."

Remus' brows furrowed, "What in Merlin's-"

"_And_-" Sirius jumped back into the cell, his face one of anxiety, "The dementors are coming!"

Remus grew more confused, "I thought you said you couldn't feel them...?"

"_I_ can't, but _you_ can!" Sirius said, snatching Remus' wrist and dragging him inside the cell.

"Come on," he called to the children, "get in here!"

The three students looked at each other, uncertainly.

Hermione finally joined Remus in the cell, but Ron was biting his lip, and holding Harry back.

"I dunno if that's a good idea," he whispered to Harry.

"What if the dementors _are_ coming?" Harry shot back, "I don't _like_ those things!"

"Well," Ron started, but he was cut off when Sirius shouted something again.

"Come _on_! They're..." he stopped, his hands balling into fists, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, "too late... they're _here._"

Harry and Ron turned around to see three, tall, hooded dementors hovering toward them.

Hermione screamed when, as had happened before, the closest dementor lowered its hood.

Without thinking, Sirius took the three steps needed to reach the boys outside the cell. Remus was too stunned to do or say anything, and just watched numbly as Sirius snatched the two boys by their collars and dragged them backwards. He stumbled as Harry fainted.

Remus, still mildly stunned with all the activity of that day, looked at his empty right hand.

Hermione noticed Remus' empty hands as well and let out a yelp, "Mister Lupin! Where's your wand? You can't help them without your wand!"

Remus opened his hand and flexed his fingers before realizing that he really shouldn't leave two kids and an unarmed, convicted murderer alone with three dementors. Particularly when one of the children had just fainted.

Remus and Hermione, still inside the cell, watched as Ron, too, crumpled to the ground.

'Alright, then, make that two unconscious children.'

Sirius yelled something, which echoed around the stone hallways, and grabbed Harry's wand.

Pointing it at the nearest dementor, Sirius shouted, "_Expecto Patronum!_"

A large silver animal leaped toward the dementor. Remus squinted his eyes, trying to tell if it was still the same as when Sirius had first learned how to do the Patronous charm.

The four-legged animal charged the closest dementor down. The monster disappeared down the hallway, gliding so fast, it almost seemed to vanish into thin air. As the silver animal turned toward the next dementor, Remus was able to get a clearer look at it. It was a stag. Remus would have dropped his wand, if he still held it.

"_Mister Lupin!_"

Remus jumped and looked down at the girl.

Hermione was holding out her own wand, demanding, "_Do something!_"

Remus grabbed Hermione's wand and walked to the door of the cell, pointing the wand in the same general direction that Harry's was pointing, still being directed by Sirius.

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM!_" Remus copied, and a large, silver, bear-like, dog bounded towards the single remaining dementor and the other patronus joined it.

The two patronus' easily chased the last dementor away.

Breathing heavily, Sirius walked back into his cell and sat down next to the small pool of water in the corner.

"Whew. What a day, eh, Mooney?"

Remus watched, completely nonplussed, as Sirius realized he was still holding Harry's wand and passed it to Hermione.

"And Remus? Your wand is on the floor over there," Sirius motioned to a spot next to the door, "You must've dropped it when I dragged you to safety."

Remus silently picked up his wand and then handed Hermione hers back.

"Might wanna wake up those two," Sirius suggested, pointing to Harry and Ron.

"Mmm. _Enervate_." Remus said.

The two boys opened their eyes. Harry was shivering.

Remus walked over to them and knelt down. He handed each of them a piece of chocolate.

Harry sat up, blinking wildly, and took hold of the chocolate.

"Wha...?"

"Dementors. There were three of them," Sirius answered, "I borrowed your wand, Harry. Hope you don't mind."

"Wa-was that my mum screaming?"

Sirius raised his eyebrows, "Come again?"

"Well, before, that's what Mooney told me. He said that it might be my mum."

"Er, I suppose so. Maybe."

Remus looked at the other boy. Ron hadn't said anything, yet, but looked as if he was summing over everything that had happened.

Ron looked over to Sirius.

"You saved us, didn't you?" Ron asked.

"Er..."

"Yes, he did," Remus confirmed.

"Did he use '_Expecto Patronum_'?" Harry wondered.

Hermione answered, nodding, "Yeah, he did. So did Mister Lupin, once he figured out that he didn't have a wand. He borrowed mine."

Suddenly, Ron looked at Sirius and said, "Wait a minute, Mr. Black, you said something about my sister...?"

"Oh, yeah," Sirius looked back at the puddle, "Er... I have no idea what's wrong with her, but I think..."

"What?" Ron interrupted, as Sirius' voice faded out.

"Is your sister old enough to be in Hogwarts?" Sirius wondered.

"No, she's younger than I am. Why?"

"Well because..." Sirius paused, as if unsure of how to continue, "because that's where she is."

"What?" Ron was flabbergasted.

"She's in Hogwarts right now. She was in Dumbledore's office last I saw."

"You _saw_...?"

"Er... heh..."

"I thought you came in here ten _years_ ago," Ron puzzled, "But my sister would've been born a year after you came in here.

"How would you even know of her existence, let alone her name?" Hermione added.

"Er, I'm not entirely sure."

"Not _entirely_?" Remus asked.

"Heh... no. I don't know. I mean... I'm not sure... I just... sort of... found out."

"Right..."

Sirius' eyes suddenly widened and his mouth hung open.

He dropped his body to the ground again and placed his face next to the pool of water.

"But... he's not..." Sirius muttered, standing up.

The animagus walked to the door of the cell and let out a holler.

"HAH!"

Remus jumped, and looked outside too.

The dog that resembled Padfoot had disappeared, but the stag was still standing outside the door. He seemed to be guarding them.

"What- is- going- on?" Remus asked.

"Er... I've no idea. None whatsoever," Sirius replied, grinning at the stag.

* * *

'I have no idea whatsoever!' James told Sirius, 'When you did the patronous, I ended up inside it! But now my vision is limited to a stag's sight. It's almost a letdown to have a body again, even if it is only temporary.'

'Come on, James, lighten up!'

'No.'

'Fine. Whatever you say, you're the dead one. But, I do have a question for you.'

'What now, Sirius?'

'Do you think I should tell Remus about you _now_?'

'NO!' James snapped.

'Alright, alright. Sheesh.'

'Uh oh, Sirius. That guard person that we saw at the gate is coming.'

'And how can you tell that?'

'Don't ask me; I'm dead.'

'Okay, then.'

"Er... Remus?" Sirius said, looking at the werewolf, "You'd better lock me back up. The guard person is coming. You've probably been in here too long."

James looked on as Remus checked his watch and then jumped, "You're right! Hurry back in there, please."

Sirius was already in the cell, sitting, once again, against the wall.

"I... I'll do my best to get you out of here, Sirius," Remus told Sirius.

James smiled as much as a patronus-stag could.

"Well, that's good," Sirius decided, "I don't really like the décor around here, anyway. Could use more maroon and gold, if you ask me."

Remus smiled as he picked a small key from his pocket and locked Sirius in his cell.

James caught Sirius' eye and then had a thought. Maybe it wouldn't be prudent for him, even if he was in patronus form, to be visible to the guard.

Remus seemed to be thinking along the same lines, "What about..." Remus turned around, his hand raised toward where the bright, silver stag had been standing, "Oh. Hmm..."

James grinned, stag-ishly. He had tried and managed to make himself invisible. He'd have to remember how to do that...

At that moment, the door down the hallway that Remus and the children had come from, opened with a groan and the burly guard looked suspiciously in.

"Yoh sahd yoh'd ohnly beh een ere a leettle while," he said, accusingly.

"Terribly sorry. Lost track of time when I was interrogating him," Remus replied smoothly.

James saw Sirius grin at Remus' fib.

'Interrogating you. Hah.'

'Well, he was _some_ of the time.'

'Yeah, but not all that much, Padfoot.'

'Only too true, my illegally dead friend.'

'Sirius, you can't be _illegally dead_. I'm only an illegal animagus, it's not illegal to be d-'

'Yeah, well, whatever you say, James-y-o.'

'Who did you get that from, _Harry_?'

'He's eleven years old, now, James-y-o, you can't use him as a retort anymore.'

'I'd be sticking out my tongue at you, if I weren't invisible.'

'Oh, I feel _so_ threatened.'

"'ELLO?! Anybodeh een thar? Seh Lupen? Heh's gone. Tote-lly ouh of ih. I woun't be surprised eef heh'd finally lost eht."

Sirius realized the guard was talking about him, "Who, me?" he asked, innocently, "Why, as I've said before, 'I never had it'! I can't very well _lose_ it if I never _had_ it."

The guard shook his head, "Yeh, indeed. Quite insaene."

James noticed that Remus looked close to tears, he was shaking so hard with mirth.

"Well, yeh'd best beh on yehr way, now. Yeh never know whah kinah diseases ahre floa-en roun'," The guard told Remus.

The werewolf nodded, weakly, "Yeah. Diseases. Of course."

"I'll just leahd yeh ou' an' leave 'im," he jerked a finger in Sirius' direction, "tah them dehmentohs."

The three free wizards (and a witch) left through the door.

James glanced at Sirius, and then, grinning, followed the children out.

* * *

Harry shivered. As cold as it was out on the water that surrounded Azkaban, he was still cold from the building itself.

That was the strangest visit I have ever witnessed. At least now we know who's guilty and who's not.

The group was halfway across the channel back to the shore, and no one had spoken a word the entire time.

Harry was revisiting all of the conversations they'd had in Azkaban, and he remembered how Sirius had saved their lives.

'Is that Irony, or what?' Harry wondered.

The boy looked around the small boat, from Hermione to Ron to Remus.

On the ride into the prison, Harry had asked about the boat, and why it was able to move by itself, and Remus had explained to him it was a precaution against a prisoner escaping his cell and wanting to try to row back to shore.

Harry glanced back to his friends. Ron was looking at his feet and fidgeting and Hermione was staring off into space, clearly thinking deeply.

Harry listened to the silence for a moment more. It was getting so annoying, why wouldn't someone say something?

That second, Remus let out a cry of wonder, "What is that patronus doing out here?"

Harry turned around in his seat and saw the silver-colored stag prancing happily across the water after their boat.

Harry cocked his head in confusion. He had _seen _the patronus disappear before they left Azkaban, so how was it still here?

"Aren't those supposed to fade after a little while?" Hermione asked.

Remus nodded, "Yeah. Mine did, but Sirius' isn't, for some odd reason."

The stag stood up onto its hind legs and turned around in a circle.

Remus looked alarmed, "B-bu... that was... that was what James... How did you know how to do that?" he demanded of the stag.

The stag shrugged, nestling its head down into his shoulders, and pulling his shoulders up as much as he could.

"Did you just shrug?"

The stag's eyes were glittering with mirth.

Harry wondered if a stag could laugh.

There was a small thump and the boat was pushed onto the shore. All of its occupants were rattled and Hermione was tipped backwards into the bottom of the boat.

The stag let out a loud snort.

"What're you laughing at?" Hermione asked, sitting up, her bushy hair flying around her head.

The stag shrugged again and turned around to walk back over the water.

Remus stood up and called after him, but the stag didn't look back.

* * *

"Where were you?" Sirius demanded.

'Following Remus and Harry. And those other two.'

"Why?"

'Just making sure they made it to shore,' James replied, dismissively.

"And did they?"

'Yeah,' James said, nonchalantly.

"Did you do anything else?" Sirius asked suspiciously.

'Scared them pretty well. The girl, what's her name, Hermione? She fell over and fell into the bottom of the boat! It was so amusing. Just like what I did to Lily that one time, only she was...'

"How did you scare them, James?"

'I... er... I... heh...'

"James?" Sirius demanded, in his most stern voice.

'I did my stag dance. And I shrugged. And they made me laugh, but _that_ wasn't my fault.'

"_You did your _dance?!" Sirius asked, disbelievingly.

'Mmhmmm.'

"Cool! How did Mooney react?"

'Oh, he'll be thinking about that incident for a few days.'

"Did he do his fish imitation?" Sirius laughed.

'Actually, no. It was more his 'Wait, what the heck is going on that I don't know about?!' expression.'

"You're going to end up apologizing, you know."

'I always do.'

"No you don't. You _never_ apologize."

'Yes, I do.'

"No, you don't."

'Yes, I do.'

"No, you don't"

'Yes, I _do_."

"No, you _don't_."

'Yes, I _do_!'

"No, I _don't_!

'No, I don't!'

"Yes, I d... JAMES!"

James stuck out his tongue.

* * *

End Chapter.

I am so happy, I got eight reviews for the last chapter... we're at 88 reviews, people!

Alanna Hrncir: Sorry it took so long, again. I hope school's going ok.

sumrandumperson: Thanks!

I-want-to-fly: Don't worry, Pettigrew will get what's coming to him... that's all I'm saying about that. I'm not sure how much longer it will take for me to resolve the story, but I'm working on it, believe me. And to your other question, yes, Dumbledore gave permission for Harry, Ron, Hermione and Lupin to go to Azkaban. I know it's a bit OOC for him to let them do that without any extra precautions, but...

koriaena: Lily didn't change Ginny's eye color, but when Lily was in control of Ginny's body, Lily's eyes shown through. You know how they say that the eyes are the window to the soul. Oh and to your other question: No, Sirius has no sense of tact at all, in this story. Hehehe...

hobbits soul: Why, thank you! Here's some more Azkaban-y-ness for you. Hope you liked it.

STARINA69: Hi, Candystar! I know I'm a slow writer, but I can't really do anything to change that (except maybe quit school, but I'm voting against that. Lol)

Eggo Waffles: Thanks for sticking with the fic! I'm sorry I don't update as often as you and I would both like. I'm working on it, but my schedual is so busy!

-whacks herself on the head with keyboard multiple times- Bad Kiwi, Bad Kiwi!

-dizzily wanders around for a few minutes-

I'm okay...

So... Reviews are welcome, be they criticism or compliments. I really love to write, but I also love to read reviews. Obviously not necessary, but I _would_ like to reach 100 fairly soon.

-gives puppy dog eyes-

TTYLL! (talk to you-lot later)

Kiwi Jeanne


	16. Of Running

DISCLAIMER: Hello, I do not own Harry Potter. Just so everyone knows... (not that they wouldn't know after reading the first fifteen chapters...)

AN: Hello, all! Another update, and relatively soon... er... kinda/sorta...

Thanks for all the lovely reviews, they really motivated me. We're almost at 100, folks! Only three more reviews!

And now, on with the story!

* * *

Ginny looked over her shoulder.

'I think we lost 'em,' Lily said.

'I hope so,' replied Ginny, rubbing her forehead.

'That was really cruel of them... are they always like that?'

'Yes. Fred and George are always like that.'

'Fred and George? Oh, is that why you have an 'F' and a 'G' attached to your forehead,' Lily said innocently.

'You know it was, Lil,' Ginny snorted, 'Stop pretending.'

'Yeah, well it _was_ pretty funny. I knew those two would be trouble ever since they were born.'

Ginny muttered something about April Fool's Day.

There was a small noise from directly behind them.

'Oh, no...'

'What? What is it?!' Lily asked, worriedly.

'They've caught up with me.'

'Uh...'

'What should I do?' Ginny asked, beginning to get hysterical.

'Run!' Lily ordered.

Ginny ran.

* * *

George and Fred looked over at each other. Equal, evil grins covered their faces.

They were planning to get Ginny _really_ well. They thought it best if she didn't get hurt or humiliated _too_ badly, but since she didn't go to school here, yet, she could handle a _harmless_. _little_ prank...

The twins hurried after their only sister, following the pulses sent out by their original spell (they had positioned a large 'F & G' on Ginny's forehead, and it pulsed different neon colors. Conveniently, it also told them where to find her). This was going to be fun...

* * *

'Left here! No, back up a bit... _there_!'

'That little crack in the wall? Behind the statue?'

'Yes. Listen, Gin, I know where to go!'

'May I ask _how_ you know so many secret passageways?' Ginny wondered, testily, as she squeezed through the hole in the wall.

'Oh, you know... I hung around some... people...'

'Who?' Ginny asked, curiously.

'Er... James and his friends, actually.'

'Your husband?'

'Heh... yeah.'

'I thought you hated him during school,' Ginny said, thoughtfully, as she stumbled through the dark passageway.

'Oh, he showed these to me during our seventh year. Right after we started going out.'

'Aww, that's so sweet.'

'Oops, I missed the turn... go back about ten steps.'

'Here?'

'No, a little further.'

'Here?'

'Not yet... a little further... _There_! Stop!'

'Where? What am I looking for?'

'Nothing, yet, let me have control for a minute.'

'Alright.'

Lily took control of the body and put her hands against the wall, eight bricks from the bottom.

"Lillian Evans," she told the wall.

The wall opened eagerly and Lily hopped inside.

'Should I run for a while?' Lily asked Ginny, inside her head.

'Alright,'

Lily strode across the small room and opened one of four other doors. She poked Ginny's head out and checked for people. When she found the way clear, Lily shut the door and hurried along the next hallway.

'I hope there are enough corridors in this school to lose them,' Ginny said, thoughtfully.

'Me too,' Lily laughed.

* * *

"I wish they would move faster!" Remus said impatiently.

"What?" Harry asked.

"The thestrals," Remus said, plainly, "They are the ones pulling the carriage."

"Where are they?" Ron asked, "Are they invisible?"

"Only to some people. I can see them because I saw someone... die," Remus explained, hesitantly.

"You can see them if you see someone die?" Ron asked, in horror.

"Yes," Remus sighed.

"Who did you-"

"We're almost there!" Hermione interrupted Ron before he said something he would later regret.

Remus looked gratefully at Hermione. Hermione pretended not to notice, but smiled slightly, despite.

* * *

'I can't _believe_ they know all these!' Lily exclaimed, 'I wonder if they are obsessed with rule breaking as James and his friends.'

'From what you've told me of them, I think they would have gotten along very well with Fred and George.'

'Alright, I'll try this one... they can't possibly know this one!'

Lily steered Ginny's body through another small opening, disguised as a brick wall.

'This one leads into a labyrinth of impossibly difficult passages. They shouldn't be able to find us down here!'

Lily vaulted over a fallen suit of armor and past an empty hallway. Pushing Ginny's body to it's limits, Lily sprinted through corridors and down short and long hallways alike, occasionally climbing through a hole directly behind a portrait and out another way.

"There- we- go-" Lily panted, jumping out another portrait hole and jogging down the hallway they were currently in.

"You- lead- for- a- while..."

Ginny let herself slide back into control of her body.

"Wow, I _am_ tired!" Ginny exclaimed.

'Yeah, no kidding.'

"Where should we go now?"

'Try going through that wall.'

"_Through_ the wall?"

'Yes.'

* * *

"How in Merlin's name does Ginny know where all these passages are?!" Fred called out.

George turned around and shrugged.

The twins stopped and caught their breath.

"Where to now?" Fred asked.

"I dunno, I can't tell. From what are spell is telling us she went directly through that wall," George said, pointing at a wall to his left.

"_Through_ the wall?"

"Mmhmm. Sounds about right."

"Well, I've heard weirder things. Let's give it a try."

The twins approached the wall and walked into it.

"Ow! That hurt!"

"Well, it was _your_ idea to try to go through it!"

"Let's try some passwords."

* * *

'Bloody...! They're catching up again!'

"They-" Ginny inhaled sharply, "are? How can you-" Ginny coughed, "tell?"

'Dunno. It's in the job description.'

"So... where to now?"

'Where? We don't really have all that many other places that are accessible, at the moment, Gin.'

"Well, then...?"

'I think our best bet is to run.'

Ginny quickened her pace.

'No, Ginny, I mean they're _close_. We'd better _run_!"

* * *

"We're getting closer, I think," Fred said, grinning.

"I'm sure of it," George replied.

* * *

"Will you slow down a bit, please?" Ron asked Remus, clutching at a stitch in his side.

Remus stopped and waited for Ron, Hermione and Harry to catch up with him.

"Ron- we're trying- to tell- Professor- Dumbledore- about Sirius," Hermione gasped, "We want- to get- there as fast- as we can."

Ron nodded.

"You three can go up to Gryffindor tower, if you want to, I can handle it from here," Remus told them.

All three children shook their heads, vigorously, "No, we want to come with," Harry told the adult.

Remus shrugged, "Alright, but I'm not slowing down."

He started off again, hurrying faster than before, all the more anxious to inform Dumbledore of the new developments.

Glancing over his shoulder to make sure the three students were still following him, Remus continued down the hallway and turned the corner.

Two bodies collided forcefully. Remus found himself underneath a small red-headed girl, who was panting.

Before the girl could get off of him, however, Ron turned the corner and tripped over Remus' head. He landed on top of the girl, gasping, "Gin...?"

Hermione and Harry turned the corner next and, luckily, Hermione stopped in time and was able to grab Harry around the wrist, stopping his progression abruptly.

As Ron struggled to get a better look of the girl under him, two more people ran around the corner, landing ungainly above Ron.

"Hello, Ginny," one of the boys (the one on the top) said, happily.

"Ron," the other one agreed, nodding his head in greeting.

"C-c-c-can you get off me pl-please?" Remus gasped, appreciating that he had been unconscious when he was hit by the mountain troll.

Hermione and Harry stepped forward and dragged the twin boys off of the top of the pile.

Ron picked himself up off of the pile rather quickly, assessing the damage done to everyone.

Ginny climbed off next, cradling one of her arms and muttering about Fred and George being pests.

Finally Harry and Hermione each grabbed an arm and lifted Remus Lupin to his feet, "Ugh," he said.

"Well, that was fun," someone replied, in agreement.

"Sorry about that," the girl said, "I was just running away from them," she jerked a hand in the twins' direction, "and I wasn't looking where I was going, very..." she stopped talking and her eyes became unfocused.

"Ginny?" Ron asked, concernedly.

"Ginny," Remus pondered, looking thoughtful, "Sirius said something about someone named Ginny."

Ginny snapped back from her trance, "She's gone," she said, slowly and quietly, "Where did she go?"

Remus was about to answer when someone else answered for him, "Where did _who_ go? Where did _I_ go? I'm right here, Gin."

Apparently, no one else heard the voice speaking. Remus' eyes widened, "Th-th-there's some... some...thing or someone in m-my head..."

There was a cluck of understanding, the voice asked, "Ah. I'm in someone _else's_ head, now. Who are you?"

"ARGH!!!"

Remus scampered around in a circle, "STOP! DON'T DO ANYTHING TO ME! WHY ARE YOU IN MY HEAD?! WHAT-"

Ginny understood, "Oh, she's in _your_ head, now."

Remus, meanwhile, was hitting himself over the head with a large slab of chocolate which came from who-knows-where.

Every syllable he accentuated with a thump of chocolate-to-head.

"GET- OUT- OF- MY- _HEAD_!"

"Looks like what Mr. Black was doing earlier today, when Pettigrew was cursing him," Hermione pointed out to Harry.

"I can't, you know. I was only in Ginny's head before, and I have no idea how I got to be in your head. I think it had something to do with the jarring impact of your two bodies colliding at such high speeds."

Remus paused his head-bashing, "What?"

"I said, I think my abrupt departure from Ginny's body, and my appearance in yours has something to do with the jarring impact of your two bodies colliding at such insanely high speeds. You really shouldn't run in the halls, you know. Now, I ask again, who are you?"

Remus was taken aback, "You're the one in _my_ head! Why are you asking me who _I_ am?! Who are _you_?"

The intruder laughed, "I bet I know who you are!"

Remus shivered. That voice sounded strangely familiar, gloating like that, "And who am I?"

"I think you are, now correct me if I'm wrong... are you Remus Lupin?"

Remus was severely shaken, "Er..."

"AHA! I knew it. You always have those cute little one-word answers when you're nervous."

"Who _are_ you?" Remus asked, completely nonplussed for what seemed like the billionth time in the past few weeks.

"I, my dear friend, am Lilian Evans-Potter. Pleased to make your acquaintance!"

Remus was speechless.

"Th-that was... that was a direct contradiction," he stuttered out, finally, not able to think anything clearly enough to answer properly.

"Yeah, I know. I did that just to vex you, Remmy."

Remus cracked... No one except Lily Potter had _ever_ called him Remmy (until Sirius had adopted the nickname, apparently).

"REMMY! AM _I_ REMMY? Why must you _IRK_ me by calling me that?!"

Before another second passed, Remus was sprinting through the hallways again, six children running pell-mell after him.

He reached the Headmaster's office in record time and gasped out the password. As the kids arrived at the bottom of the stairs, Remus had taken them four at a time and was already at the top.

"I think he's- lost it," Ron said, worried, panting for air, "I hope it wasn't- my fault- this time."

"Why did he start- yelling random- things, back- there?" Hermione asked, fearfully, also gasping for breath.

"Because Lily's in his head," Ginny explained, mildly unhelpfully.

"Oh, that- explains _everything_!" Ron exclaimed, sarcastically, throwing his hands into the air.

The six children made it to the top of the staircase and Ginny wrenched open the door.

Remus' booming voice cascaded out, "...THAT THERE IS A PERSON IN MY HEAD?! AND SHE SAYS SHE'S LILY!"

Professor Dumbledore was sitting calmly behind his desk, his eyes twinkling madly behind his glasses.

"SHUT UP! STOP TELLING ME WHO YOU ARE, YOU ALREADY SAID THAT!" Remus yelled to no one in particular.

Ginny sighed, "It probably would've been better if I'd kept her in _my_ head."

Ron got a good look at his sister then and gasped, "Ginny, why do you have Fred and George's initials in your forehead?"

"Oh, I forgot about that," Ginny said, glaring at Fred and George.

Fred grinned guiltily and waved his wand at Ginny's head. Ginny rubbed the area it had been in and turned to Hermione and Harry, "Gone?" she asked them.

"Yup," Harry replied.

"Good."

* * *

Albus could see that Remus was getting hysterical. He decided in an instant what he should do.

In full knowledge that the werewolf may, and probably would, react badly to it for a couple of reasons, the Headmaster summoned a potion from his personal stores and handed it to Remus. The werewolf took a break in his tirade and drank down the Calming Draught.

The werewolf promptly lost consciousness.

Albus sighed as the six children who had been standing outside of his door, piled into the room, "What happened to him?" George asked.

"I gave him a Calming Draught and he passed out. Perhaps the emotional strain is getting to him."

"Oh," Hermione said looking at the adult, laying prone, "When will he...?"

Remus groaned and sat up, weakly.

"What happened?" he asked, rubbing his forehead.

"I gave you a Calming Draught, and your over-stressed body latched onto the opportunity to relax, by-"

"Yeah, I fainted, didn't I?" Remus interrupted, standing up, "Sorry about that."

Everyone shook their heads and waved it off.

Ginny was the first person to speak, "Is... eh... is Lily still inside your head?"

Remus' face contorted as if he were trying to see something out of his sight range, "Yeah, she's here," Remus turned to face the headmaster, "Is she... is it really Lily, headmaster?"

Albus nodded, "It is indeed. Earlier this morning I encountered young Ginny Weasley wandering around my office-"

"I wasn't _wandering_, exactly," Ginny told them, "I just flooed to Hogwarts and ended up in his office. I was only trying to find Remus Lupin."

Remus looked at her, "For what?"

"Because Lily reckoned he was one of the only people who would believe her, I think."

Remus nodded, accepting this answer, "Oh. I'm Remus Lupin, you know."

Ginny looked him over carefully... he didn't _look_ like a werewolf... not one that would eat her, in any case. Nevertheless, she shook her head and extended her hand, saying, "Pleased to meet you, Mister Lupin."

The adult's hand was firm, yet gentle. Ginny narrowly perceived that his hand was as cold as ice.

Albus continued his story, "I encountered Ginny Weasley and briefly we spoke. After a while, Ginny let Lily take control of her body. Lily provided some unquestionable evidence for me, and it was proven that she was whom she said she was."

Remus nodded, quietly.

"She also explained the situation of their Secret Keeper," Albus told the group. Remus' head snapped up. He was all ears.

Harry was confused at why this was... hadn't they already established who was lying and who was telling the truth?

The headmaster looked critically at his former student, "Do you not know who it was, Remus?"

Remus nodded, "I'm sure I know who it was... who it _is_, but..."

Albus nodded, "You want to hear it from me... and Lily?" this was really more of a statement than a question.

The silence that filled the room was almost unbearable.

Remus gasped slightly as a voice inside his head spoke, 'Tell him to get on with it... the tension in your mind is giving me a headache... and I don't even have a head!'

"Lily says to get on with it," Remus told the room, his face tinged with pink.

Ginny wondered if Lily actually said that, or if Remus just wanted Professor Dumbledore to hurry up.

"Sirius was not the Secret Keeper," Albus said, bluntly, "They switched to Peter at the last moment. We've locked an innocent man in Azkaban."

Remus let out a gasp, his knees buckling, "I'm so sorry, Sirius!" he cried to the room, "I'm sorry, Padfoot!"

* * *

'Do you suppose that they are back yet?' James asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure they are," Sirius answered, "We should probably check it out to see what's happening."

James blinked his silvery eyes, 'Should I try to move back into the puddle, or should I just try to transport myself there from here?'

"Try transporting yourself from your patronus form."

James tried... and tried... but after a while he gave up.

'It's not going to work, Sirius! I'm just gonna try to get back in the puddle...'

Sirius nodded, "By all means, go ahead, James."

This time, James _was_ able to transport himself. Once he had left the patronus, it vanished.

"Well, I'm guessing you made it back alright?" Sirius asked, peering into the pool of water.

'Uh huh. Hold your Hippogriffs for a minute while I try to find those kids and Remus.'

Sirius watched as the images in the puddle grew more clear until it focused on an empty hallway.

"There's nothing there, James," Sirius pointed out.

'I know that, Padfoot, I'm working on it.'

Suddenly, Sirius had the impression that he was moving very fast over the top of the hallway. The puddle stopped right outside Dumbledore's office.

"I don't think you have to guess the password to get in, James," Sirius informed him, helpfully.

'I knew that...'

James directed the image directly through the gargoyle and up the stairs to Dumbledore's office.

They made it just in time to hear Albus Dumbledore say the words, "Sirius was not the Secret Keeper. They switched to Peter at the last moment. We've locked an innocent man in Azkaban."

Sirius watched in silence as Remus let out a gasp and fell to his knees, "I'm so sorry, Sirius! I'm sorry, Padfoot!"

James seemed to think this was hilarious.

"Be quiet, Prongs, I want to hear what's going on."

'Poor Mooney, I bet he thinks it's all _his_ fault.'

Sirius nodded in agreement, "Poor Remus."

* * *

End Chapter.

I got nine reviews last chapter... yay! That's one more than last time!

-does a happy dance-

Eggo Waffles: Thanks!

I-want-to-fly: Sirius is not, I repeat is Not, going crazy. I know it may seem like that, but he's not... there's a relatively reasonable explanation for why he is talking to a puddle, but now I can't think of it... -scratches head in puzzlement- anyways, I hope this chapter cleared everything up.

Becky Yuy: I hope this was soon enough... It's hard to update that often, because I am doing a ton of stuff right now. I'm trying my best, though.

Padfoot n' Moony: I wonder if you were hyped up on caffeine, or something... To answer your first few ramblings, I am not currently writing much bashing-ness, but I'm sure I can fit it in... I don't really mean to, but I tend to beat up Remus quite a bit... poor guy. Read my other stories, too, and you'll see what I mean... To your question about Harry and Remus finding out about Lily and James... you'll just have to wait and see, but I think you'll be able to guess approximately where the story is going, I'm a fairly predictable person. Dunno about Rita Skeeter or any DP articles at the moment, either... no one really has the time to read the paper, they're too busy running around bashing into each other.

hobbits soul: This chapter had some humor in it as well... thanks for your review!

Ookami Aya: I agree with you, there can _never_ be too many Sirius stories!

koriaena: I like the way you described the pranksters in this story... Sirius and James are two 5 year old brothers and Remus is the clueless older brother... I love it! Thanks for the review.

Time and Fate: It is perfectly alright to be hyper and insane –is hyper and insane- ahem... I'm glad you like my story!

im still a lazy bum!!/STARINA69/Candy: Hello, again... Yes, I wrote something, aren't you proud of me? Here's another update for you!

Many thanks to everyone who reviewed, and to those who are reading my story!

I really appreciate the reviews from you critics, especially.

TTYLL (Talk to you-lot later)

Kiwi Jeanne


	17. Of Information

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, and I am not making any money off of this. I am using it purely for your and my enjoyment.

AN: Again, I am late in posting. Don't scold me too badly for it, please. I'm disappointed in myself.

Thanks for all the great reviews, once again. We have reached 100! Actually 130...

On with the story! (forward march!)

!PREVIOUSLY!

'Poor Mooney, I bet he thinks it's all _his_ fault.' James said.

Sirius nodded in agreement, "Poor Remus."

!HARRY!

"It's _all my fault_!" Remus cried to the room, burying his head in his hands.

Ron leaned over to Harry and whispered, "I thought we just figured out it was Pettigrew's fault…"

Harry shrugged, looking worriedly at Lupin, then Hermione, who also shrugged, and back to Lupin.

"Peter!" Lupin said suddenly, jumping up. His face was filled with rage and Harry could hear his teeth grinding together.

Without another word, Lupin yanked open the door and slammed it shut behind him.

"What is he going to do?" Asked Hermione almost fearfully.

!SNAPE!

Professor Severus Snape was walking down a deserted corridor, looking for trouble-makers. His latest potion needed to set for a day, so he had nothing better to do.

As he passed an ugly painting of a troll wearing a pink witches hat, Severus heard a familiar voice. He was tempted to retch and then run in the opposite direction, but instead he slipped into the shadows to listen to one Remus Lupin.

"I _know_ that, but I can't just sit here doing nothing!" the werewolf admonished.

Severus leaned forward just enough to make out the solitary, lonely figure walking down the hallway.

'_He's talking to himself_,' Severus mused, '_I always knew the werewolf was mad_.'

"I don't care, as long as Sirius gets out!" Lupin growled.

Severus' brows met… wasn't Black the one who betrayed Lupin's best friends?

"No, the trial isn't for another week… I don't think I'll be able to last that long, Lily!"

Severus realized that he was actually mildly interested in Lupin's conversation with… himself… even though the werewolf plainly thought he was talking to Lily Evans.

"I suppose not, but I still want to be at the trial, and I don't know if I'll be able to… because of… er…" Lupin paused, as if listening, "yeah that… my condition…"

Severus stealthily followed Lupin down the hallway, careful to stay safely in the shadows. Now he was beginning to be quite intrigued with this…

When he was close enough, Severus cast _Legilimens_ and snuck into the Lupin's mind. He then discovered that there was, in fact, two people there. The werewolf himself and…

"Lily!" Lupin said, exasperated, "If they have Peter in custody, then _why _was he using the Imperius Curse on Sirius?"

Lupin just used Black's first name… and it sounded as though Pettigrew was to blame for something. This was beginning to make sense. Either Black was innocent, or Lupin was helping the dark side.

If the latter were true, then, as Lupin had said, why would Pettigrew be doing illegal curses?

On second thought, wasn't he dead?

That must mean that Pettigrew was the one who…

"…betrayed us, Remus," the Mudblood was saying, "We know that. We just have to convince everyone else! There's no need to panic!"

"I'm not panicking!" Lupin snapped, "But if Peter got away, then how're we going to catch him? He's a marauder, he knows every trick in the book, not to mention being taught by Voldemort, Lily!"

So the werewolf wasn't mad after all. But that didn't explain why a dead woman was in his head.

"I think you need to go let off some steam, Remus… you've been cooped up too long."

"That's only because I'm stuck in my house nearly every day of the week!" Lupin retorted.

"Yeah," Evans pointed out dryly, "I just said that. I think you should talk to someone who knows how to handle…"

"Like Madame Pomfrey?" The werewolf interrupted, "Please not her!"

"No, actually, I meant Dumbledore."

"I've already talked to him!"

"Well, mayhap you should talk to him a bit _more_?"

Severus decided he didn't want to be in amidst an argument between Remus Lupin and Lily Eva- Potter. The redhead alone could keep an argument going for hours on end, and once you add Lupin to the opposing side…

Gently extracting himself from the werewolf's mind, Severus took a few steps backward until he was able to turn around and head down a different corridor. Now he was plainly interested in what was going on…perhaps he should pay a visit to a certain convicted murderer, as much as he despised the man…

!STILL SNAPE!

Severus raised his wand threateningly as the two dementors in front of him paused.

He was walking down different corridors, now… the corridors of Azkaban.

Severus was on his way to visit an old school rival, and he was going to get some answers.

He passed the dementors and dismissed them… he knew his way well enough.

Rounding a corner, he heard a scratchy voice.

"You know, that's a good question… honestly, I have no idea," the voice said.

For the second time in one day, Severus wanted to gag and then hasten in the other direction.

It was Sirius Black.

And he, also, seemed to be losing it… he was talking to himself too.

"Well, I didn't think he was insane when he came to visit me here… I'm not sure who he was talking to," Black told himself.

"I know, but that's impractical. Maybe we should check up on Harry, Ron and Hermione, quick. And that Ginny girl, too," Black continued to talk to himself.

"Ha, ha, very funny, James. You know that's not what I meant!

Severus, after hearing the word James, had a hunch about what was going on in Black's mind, but knew he had to make sure. He quietly cast _Legilimens_ again, this time looking for more than one person in one head.

Black's mind was different than the average person's, but it was still completely in his control, and he definitely wasn't insane. Pity. Upon closer inspection, Severus realized that Azkaban had done quite a bit to the psyche of this wizard. For one thing, a pre-Azkaban Sirius Black would probably have realized that he had someone inside his head… for another thing, Severus had loads more free reign inside his head. He could even see out his eyes!

Suddenly becoming very uncomfortable with the situation, he was about to pull himself from Black's mind. Then he saw something move in front of the convict.

Severus watched as Black leaned in closer to the small pool of water which sat in the corner of the cell, and spoke to it.

"Oh, they look alright, James. Is Harry playing chess against Ron again? Doesn't he know it's hopeless? He'll never win!"

Severus looked closely at the puddle and saw that there was, indeed, a picture, as if viewed from above, of two quite annoying Gryffindors playing chess and their friend, Granger, nearby (surprisingly enough, she was reading a book).

"Yeah, well, Remus played chess against us all the time, and he lost nearly every game… unless Lily was helping him," another familiar voice (_POTTER!_) said.

Severus gaped, forgetting that while performing the Legilimens spell, one must always keep their emotions subtle, or the victim may notice their presence. This was exactly what Black did.

"SNIVELLUS! GET _OUTTA MY HEAD_!"

Severus heard Potter reply, "Snape's in your head? What, as in the Imperius Curse?"

"No, he's using _Legilimens_! GET OUT, SNIVELLY!"

Severus quickly pulled himself from Black's mind, realizing that there was a stunning amount of difference in the atmosphere of his mind compared to the convicts. The convict's mind was packed to bursting with thoughts of… of all things… _innocence_.

"Yes, he's gone," Severus heard Black say, "But I have a feeling that he's still here.

"No," Black retorted to the answer that Severus couldn't hear, "I mean I have a feeling that he's still here in Azkaban."

Severus, still extraordinarily interested in how this situation was going to turn out, stood up tall, brushed off his robes, and walked up to Black's prison cell.

"Very clever," he sneered, "Now, can you guess _why_ I'm here?"

Severus watched, mildly pleased, as Black pulled a face that was plainly disgusted, "To mock me? You know, Snape, don't you think that if I were on the dark side, I would've told Voldemort that you were a spy?"

Severus sneered again, "Not if you thought there was nothing but pain to gain from telling him that. Besides, Black, I'm just here to get some answers."

Black leaned back against the wall and folded his hands behind his head, "Well, by all means, ask away… there's not really much I could do to stop you, anyway."

Severus sniffed, "First question," he said, "Who was it you were talking to?"

Black smiled, "A dead man: James Potter. Do you think I'm insane?"

Severus sneered, "Not remotely, unfortunately."

Black looked surprised, "What? You don't?"

Severus rolled his eyes, "If you were guilty, why would you say you were talking to James Potter, of all people? Why would Lupin's views on the betrayal of your friends have changed so drastically? Why would you still be sane after all these years in Azkaban? Why, as you said, wouldn't you have turned me in as a spy? Why would there be images in the water in the corner of your cell? Why would you hate Pettigrew more than anyone else in the world, including the Dark Lord? Why would Evans believe that you were innocent?"

Black sat on the ground, completely frozen in shock.

The puddle in the corner made a loud swishing sound, and a wave of water assailed Black.

Spluttering, the convict asked, "Y-you believe me?"

Severus exhaled dramatically, then snapped, "_Obviously_!"

"What did you see when you were in my mind?" Black asked.

Severus hesitated, then spoke, "I saw movement in that puddle of yours, and I heard it speaking to you. Quite odd, but I must believe, _hesitantly_, that you are not insane."

After a few moments of silence, Black comprehended the last theoretical question that Severus had asked. Severus had been waiting for that, "What do you mean, Lily thinks I'm innocent…? She's _dead_ Snape!"

Severus smirked, "I am aware of that, Black. Potter is too. They are both similar to the same amount in death."

"What are you _talking about_ Snivellus? The same amount? You can't be _mostly dead_!"

"You two were, apparently, under the impression that Lupin was talking to himself."

"He was… talking to… Lily?" Black said dumbly.

"Very good," Severus said sarcastically, clapping his hands together twice, and planting a sneer onto his face.

"How do you know that he was talking to Lily?" Black demanded.

Severus tapped his head, "Have you forgotten already?"

"Do you go around casting Legilimens on _random_ people, Snape?" Black asked, fuming.

Severus rolled his eyes and sarcastically answered, "Oh, of _course_ I do! Actually, I was curious if the werewolf had finally lost it. He's already dangerous enough, wandering around the school with nothing protecting the students from him."

Black looked ready to bite him, "You're more of a threat to the students than Remus will ever be, _Professor Snivellus_. We've seen how you treat the students, and it's down-right evil!"

"Down right evil…?" Severus repeated disbelievingly. Rolling his eyes again, the potions master decided how to handle the next issue, "Question number two: What, exactly, happened the night of the murder of the Potters?"

Black looked murderous, "As if I want to go re-living it all for you, Snape!"

"I really don't want to have to waste my Veriteserum on you, Black," Severus said, pulling out a tiny bottle full of clear liquid and waving it threateningly.

Black growled again, "I had a feeling," he said, bluntly, "I went to Peter's flat, but he wasn't there, so I went to Godric's Hollow."

Severus waited for him to continue, but Black's throat seemed to have closed up.

"Come on, we haven't all day!"

"I… I…"

"Alright, we'll just _pretend_ you finished that part, right? After you left the Potter's house?" Snape said, impatiently.

"I… went after Peter. I found him in a muggle street. Before I could say anything he… yelled something about me betraying the James and Lily, and then he…"

"And he…?" Severus prompted, getting more restless.

"He cut off his finger and he destroyed the street."

Severus waited for more, but Black had finished, "Not that I care, but why did you laugh, Black?"

"I laughed?" Black asked, noticeably confused, "Uh… I guess that's believable. James always said that I laughed at the worst times."

Severus raised an eyebrows.

"I guess I didn't notice. Not all that startling, is it? Do you think I'm off my rocker, yet?" Black asked, hopefully.

Severus chose not to answer that question, "Is that all that happened?"

Black sighed, "Pretty much, that's all that I know. Not in detail, of course.

"Was there anything else you wanted to address?" Black asked.

Severus looked at the convict, curiously, "Not particularly, no. I suppose I'll leave now."

As he turned, his cloak billowing after him, he added, "By the way, your trial will be held in almost a week."

Black choked and coughed, "W-what?"

But Severus had already swept from the passageway, pleased with his achievement.

!END CHAPTER!

Thanks again for all the great reviews.

sumrandumperson: Thanks

I-want-to-fly: Fred and George did think it was odd for Ginny to be out on her own, but because she seems to be taking after them in that manner, they weren't going to tell on her. And what better use of a non-Hogwarts child than practicing pranks on? Oh, and James did manage to get back into the puddle. It took a while for the patronous to fade away, but when it did, James ended up back in the puddle.

koriaena: Yes, Remus does want to do that, but, as you see in this chapter, he's got Lily there for support and she manages to keep him from doing anything rash.

Time and Fate: You said, "How are James and Sirius gonna talk when he is let out?" and I must reply: you will soon find out. Not in the next chapter, but the one following that, I believe (subject to change at any time).

Tilly: yeah… heh…

hobbits soul: Thanks much!

Eggo Waffles: I am fairly sure that Remus will have his sanity when we are done with this story, but I'm worried about some other people…

Ookami Aya: I'm sorry I didn't balance the chapters perfectly. I hope there is enough James and Sirius in this chapter for you.

Raiast: Thankies! I'm glad you liked it. I'm not going to kill off Wormy just yet, as he still has a part to play. Ah, well.

Padfoot n' Moony: Hyped up on sugar, huh? Well, I do that quite a lot. Perfectly understandable. Especially when it is chocolate. –loves chocolate-

jjjjjjjjjjjj/ time and fate: heh… sorry. I've been very, very busy. -thwacks herself-

Sugar Junky Freakazoid: Alright, I'll try!

Haley Carr: Thankies!

Wolfsbane: Good point, but I don't believe so. I am pretty sure I said a few weeks, not four. I meant around three weeks, in any case. Sorry for the confusion.

Jenny: Well, you're kinda violent aren't you? Please don't hurt me, I updated!

: I did update.

A.J. of Gryffindor: Thankies. Sorry I took so long… again.

Sirvy-cat: I'm sorry if I confused you. Last chapter Ginny was running to get away from Fred and George, and Remus and the others were running to tell Dumbledore as soon as possible.

Allie: Thank you.

Ashlee: Told you I would get it out soon. Thankies for your email.

scared-of-mimes: Spiffy. I'm glad you like.

Maykwa: James and Sirius know about Lily.

* * *

Thank you all for reviewing! It makes it all worthwhile! 

Bye until next time,

Kiwi Jeanne

Sqwerty Jeanne


	18. Of Quidditch

DISCLAIMER: We do not own Harry Potter or any of the related characters, settings, references to previous plotlines, or anything else. We don't own anything.

AN: Thank you for all the great reviews. We are already halfway through with the next chapter so it should be up fairly soon (-hopes-). Here's an excerpt from the last chapter to get us back on track. Oh, and one more thing… You may want to reread this chapter when your done with it, because there are some parts that are very confusing with so many characters and so much dialogue (and some time lapses).

!PREVIOUS CHAPTER: SNAPE!

"Was there anything else you wanted to address?" Black asked.

Severus looked at the convict, curiously, "Not particularly, no. I suppose I'll leave now."

As he turned, his cloak billowing after him, he added, "By the way, your trial will be held in almost a week."

Black choked and coughed, "W-what?"

But Severus had already swept from the passageway, pleased with his achievement.

!SIRIUS!

"Did he just say _trial_?"

'Yup. That's what I heard,' James told Sirius.

"I'm gonna get a _trial_! _Now_!"

'I'm guessing that Lupin had something to do with it.'

"Well, I'll just not get my hopes up quite yet."

'Er… I'm going to find Remus… just a moment…'

The picture in the puddle cleared and showed the figure of Remus Lupin pacing the halls of Hogwarts.

As James pulled the picture closer, he and Sirius heard Remus say, "…that I have _any_ idea! If he's not in their holding cell, then I don't know _where_ he is!"

There was a pause.

"Well, neither do I."

'Who is he talking to?' James wondered.

"Apparently, it's the same person he was talking to before," Sirius replied.

Remus spoke again, "No, they aren't! Not even the Ministry is helping!"

"The Ministry?" wondered Sirius, "Do you think this has anything to do with his condition?"

'Nah, probably not.'

"Well then, what is he talking about? And to Lily, or _who_!"

'That _is_ the question, isn't it, Sirius?' James replied, "Only with better grammar, you know. Whom, isn't it?"

"No, I can't, Lily, Dumbledore told me not to do anything rash. As if I would go gallivanting off chasing phantoms."

James and Sirius were silent, waiting for Remus to speak again.

"I _know_, Lily… it's an _expression_!" Remus snapped, "I _know_ phantoms only live in towns inhabited by vampires!

"Now, stop that right now! You're beginning to sound like Sirius," Remus told himself.

"Hey, I resemble that remark!"

'I don't think he meant that he was going insane, Padfoot.'

"Did I _say_ that I thought that he thought that he was going insane? No!"

'Now, stop that before either one of us ends up more confused than Gertrude Abbott.'

"Aww, James, she wasn't _that_ bad!"

The puddle spit a shoot of water at Sirius.

Remus let out a laugh that startled both James and Sirius, "I don't know what to do with myself, Lily!"

There was silence.

'D-did Mooney just say… _Lily_?'

Sirius didn't answer.

'I mean, I wasn't imagining it before, was I?'

"Nope. Don't think so, Prongs. I think Snape was right."

'For once. Bloody Hell.'

"I am _not_ going to talk to Dumbledore a _third_ _time_, Lily. He can't do anything for me. Only for Sirius."

Said convict felt hope raze his mind.

!HARRY!

The entire first-year boys' dormitory awoke a few days later to the sound of Oliver Wood's loud voice.

"POTTER!"

Harry, remembering that the first Quidditch game was today, couldn't help but groan. Why were Quidditch games so early in the morning?

Uh-oh! Harry sat straight up in bed. Quidditch _game_?

He had forgotten that part! First Quidditch game of the year and the first Quidditch game of his life.

Dashing from the warmth and comfort of his bed, Harry pulled on his Quidditch robes.

!SIRIUS AND JAMES!

"Quidditch, eh?"

'Of _course_, Sirius, what'd you expect him to do, sit in the stands?'

"Well, he _is_ only a first-year, just now."

'But he's _my_ son!'

"Yes. And in our first year, _you_ sat in the stands, along with _everybody else_!"

'See, I told you that Lily couldn't be _all_ bad at Quidditch!'

"Alright, fine," Sirius yielded as they watched Harry fidget nervously in the locker room.

!LILY AND REMUS!

'You know, I wasn't really bad at quidditch myself,' said Lily's voice inside Remus' head.

Remus chuckled, 'I wonder what James and Sirius would say if you told them that. All through school you acted as if you hated the game.'

'Well, I thought it quite pointless and rather dangerous when I was younger. Eventually I grew to like it, but I continued to act as if I hated it because James liked it so much.'

Remus laughed again as he watched Harry do a sort of loop-the-loop when some Gryffindor chaser made a goal.

!SIRIUS AND JAMES!

"Dodge it! Dodge it! Get out of the way, Harry!" Sirius yelled, as a bludger came pelting Harry's way.

'Just lean a bit to the side, Harry! It'll go right past you!' James advised, attentively.

Harry inadvertently took James's advise.

"Yes! Nice save, there. Those twins are bloody brilliant!"

A while later, Sirius and James still shouting advise to every Gryffindor player on the field, Harry got to do something more interesting than watch the air. Sirius and James fell silent as an elated look grew on Harry's face.

'Ha, he's spotted the snitch!' James said, triumphantly.

"Go Harry, you can do it!" Sirius called as Harry sped through the air. Before getting too close to the snitch, Harry got a startled look. James recognized what was happening right away.

'The broom's gone haywire: it's been tampered with. Brooms like that don't just decide that they don't like their riders… particularly not my son!'

"What is going on!" Sirius yelled in outrage.

'I don't know, but Remus had better do something about it!'

!REMUS AND LILY!

'What should I do, Lily!' Remus asked, frantically.

'Well, it's obviously a jinx,' Lily replied quickly, yet somehow calmly.

'Yes and you were the one who knew this stuff best back in school… I don't pretend to have learned all that much more!' Remus thought.

'Yes, but I'm not sure just what jinx this is!' Lily replied desperately, 'It looks like something that I read about once, but…' Lily let out a frustrated, mental-scream, which Remus would later wonder about.

'Is it a Dark one or just a really powerful one… with a powerful caster…?' Remus wondered, trying to prompt Lily's memory.

'Erm… I don't think it's very well known, so probably the only people who know it are into the Dark Arts,' Lily guessed, 'As I said, it isn't something that we learned in the basics of any of the classes I took.'

'Well, do you know the counter-curse?' Remus asked hysterically.

'No! I… can't remem-' Lily was cut off when there was a sharp pain in the small of Remus' back and said werewolf went flying forward and hit the ground painfully, before losing consciousness.

!JAMES & SIRIUS!

James had somehow managed to move the view in the puddle to such an angle that he and Sirius could see both Remus and Harry at once. Both prisoners, for that's what they were despite their interesting and thrilling stay in the prison, watched anxiously as Harry got closer to the ground and lost his grip on the broom. He was now holding on by one hand.

Suddenly, a streak of brown hair shot across their puddle. An elbow caught Remus in the small of his back, and he was propelled off the bench and onto the ground with a hard smash. Sirius saw a small trickle of blood appear from his head.

"WHO DID THAT!" Sirius roared in outrage. "FIND THAT GIRL, PRONGS!"

James followed that girl and, seeing that Hermione was on her way to do something dangerous with that wand of hers, quickly spun around until he got an angle where they could see who she was planning on attacking.

"Snape? Why that evil, vile, despicable, wicked, malevolent, degraded," Sirius ranted, "He's trying to kill your kid!"

'Sirius,' James scolded, 'Snape isn't evil. You should know that.'

"So! I still hate the guy! Curse him, Hermione!"

'Sirius, Snape is the only one keeping Harry from hitting the ground!'

"Oh, Merlin, you're right!" Sirius realized, "NO, HERMIONE, DON'T DO IT!"

Unfortunately, Hermione did it. Blue fire sprung from the end of her wand and settled itself on Snape's robes. Sirius and James held their breath, but Snape didn't notice the fire until half a minute had gone by. When he did notice, Hermione scooped up the fire and started to run back to her seat. Harry's broom started to buck harder without the help of Snape's counter curse.

Harry desperately struggled to gain control of the broom while hanging underneath it, but didn't manage a thing. As Hermione was passing Professor Sinistra, she looked up and saw what was happening. She gasped and looked back at Professor Snape. He was no longer muttering, but he was looking intently at Harry.

Hermione suddenly realized her mistake: Snape hadn't been trying to kill Harry… someone else had been.

Searching around wildly, Hermione only spotted worried teachers. She doubled back and looked on the other side of Snape. To her surprise, she saw Remus Lupin sitting on the ground, grumbling to himself and holding his sleeve to his head where it was bleeding.

Seeing nothing else to do, she slipped under the seats and stood next to Lupin.

"Did I knock you down?" she asked, worriedly.

"Oh, you may have," Remus replied dismissively, levering himself up and searching frantically across the field.

Hermione glanced back at her Potion's Professor and saw that he had resumed his counter-jinx. She looked at Remus Lupin and found that he too had started chanting.

She was unable to make out the words, but he sounded eerie.

!END CHAPTER!

Eggo Waffles: We aren't planning on putting more than one person inside anyone's head at one time, although it may occur… haven't really thought much of that idea. Yes, I think Snape does have a moral side.

Marguerida: Did I say that Sirius will be freed? -blinks innocently-

Raiast: I'm glad you liked it.

Haley Carr: Wow, you read and reread it all in one sitting? I suppose I should update, then.

Time and Fate: Thank you –blushes-

HWayre: Yuppers.

Tilly Jeanne: It was not a whole quarter… neither was this. -sticks out tongue-

Harryfan001: OK.

SongOfStars: Thanks. I hope you can tell that we spend a lot of time on this story. 

Harrypfan001 TEACHERLADY: As you probably know, it isn't that easy, just to update soon. However, we have been trying and we will continue to try.

SiriusandJamesLiveOn: I'm glad you liked our story enough to continue reading it.

Jenny: No… no lagging. You are being too strict, I think.

Forrest: Well, I think the story is alright. Thanks for reviewing.

Cool-chan: Nifty. Thanks for your reviews.

Reader4ever: You think we could have done better on Remus and Co's conversation? How so? I know I don't have everyone exactly IC, but we do continue to try. As for the water, it is because James is in it that it can see what is going on. This chapter will illustrate that even more, I hope.

Xander: Thank you.

anna r.: No, in the first four books Harry hadn't seen anyone die, yet. His mum had died in the same room, but he was in his cot (all he saw was a flash of green light), he didn't see Quirrell's death either, he had passed out. He did see Cedric die, but Harry took a while to fully accept that Cedric was dead (plus J. K. Rowling didn't' want to start a new mystery at the very end of the fourth book.

Siaru: I'm glad you think it's fun. Snape is playing a fairly large part in my story… I'm not quite sure why.  I actually don't dislike the guy all that much, and I think that he does have a bit of a moral side to him. You don't have to agree with me, though. I don't think that Peter will be chased down by Lily and James with dementors (at least not for a while). Thanks for the idea, though.

dweem-angel: We kept you up until 12:50! Gasp! I'm glad you like the story, though. Thanks for reviewing.

!ME: Yes sir/ma'm!

!AUTHORS!

Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, it means a lot to us.

Bye until we meet again,

Kiwi Jeanne

&

Sqwerty Jeanne


	19. Of Alterations

DISCLAIMER: We own nothing that matters when we are talking about rights to literature… especially not the Harry Potter universe.

**_(RATHER IMPORTANT)_** AN: In this chapter, we have added an OC. He is necessary to transport Sirius, because, obviously, Sirius can't walk out of Azkaban to his trial by himself (legally). He will play a small part in the coming chapters, but he will not become a major character, a love interest, or anything that we (as fans) hate to see much of. And we took the character's last name from one of the books (one of the students had this surname) so it was not a random choice.

!A RANDOM AUROR!

Mister Sam Brocklehurst had been training to be an Auror ever since he had learned how to cast a spell. He had formally trained for only five years, yet he was one of the best in his division.

He had great things coming for him, but at the moment Sam was in one of the most tedious and uncomfortable jobs in the field. He was currently on an assignment to retrieve Prisoner Number 4512 for re-sentencing.

Apparently, there was new evidence or something. Sam really didn't know or care. Neither did he think that the new evidence would change anything (it rarely did) so he hadn't bothered to look up what the name of the prisoner actually was…

Most of the prisoners themselves wouldn't remember, anyways. His supervisor had said that this prisoner had been in here a while… and was expected to be more than a bit loopy.

Sam walked stiffly down the hall, tightly gripping his wand. It was quite obvious that many of the people in Azkaban were crazy, Sam observed as he passed a young female prisoner who was cowering in the corner of her cell. Suddenly curious, Sam approached the cell so he could see the girl more closely. She had long, ratty hair that was almost to her elbows and her bright blue eyes flashed wickedly when she saw he was watching her.

Not a moment had gone past and Sam found himself two inches from the girl, the only thing separating them was the wall. Sam pulled back and ran a hand across his temple, nervously. "Er…" he told the girl, uncomfortably. The girl cocked her head, her eyes glinting in a strangely insane way, "I… I… eh…"

The young female prisoner bared her teeth and made a spitting sound, like a cat.

"I have to go…" Sam finally choked out, backing away.

As he hurried down the dark, dank corridors of Azkaban, Sam tried to remind himself that he was a fully trained Auror who wasn't afraid of insane prisoners. They were locked up. _Prisoners_.

Sam didn't notice that he was fast approaching his destination.

He was alerted to this fact when he heard a rasping voice. Sam rubbed his temple again, nervously.

"Why that evil, vile, despicable, wicked, malevolent, degraded…" said the voice, "He's trying to kill your kid!"

Sam approached the cell, wondering how crazy this prisoner really was.

"So! I still hate the guy! Curse him, Hermione!"

Sam stayed silent, listening to the man's dramatic conversation with himself.

"Oh, Merlin, you're right! _No, Hermione, don't do it_!"

Sam Brocklehurst couldn't wait until this assignment was finished and he could go back to doing more rewarding jobs.

There was a long silence. The Auror strained his ears for any sound, but all he heard was the other prisoners ranting and wailing.

Sam waited for quite a while before he realized his situation and shook his head. He had been ordered to retrieve the prisoner, not wait outside the cell listening to him.

He was just about to unlock the cell door when the prisoner spoke again.

"What are they _doing_?"

Sam froze.

"No, it looks like both Snape _and_ Remus are doing some sort… of…" the voice trailed off.

The prisoner cleared his throat, "_James_! How am I supposed to know? As if I ever spent the time to look up the different jinxes and counter curses!"

Sam placed the key in the lock and turned it until it made a soft clicking noise. The prisoner didn't even notice… he was so engrossed in something that was sitting in the corner.

The Auror opened the door and brandished his wand, a stunning spell ready, on the tip of his tongue.

Mister Brocklehurst silently studied the young prisoner, noting that the man's long, black hair almost swept the ground in front of him, while he was sitting. Another thing that Sam noticed was the prisoner's body posture. He appeared to be sitting quite comfortably next to a small puddle of water.

"Perhaps, James," the prisoner told the puddle, "but I doubt it."

Sam moved a step to the side so he could see more closely, and took a breath, "Prisoner number 4512, you must come with me at once. Your trial is to be held as soon as you get there."

The prisoner glanced at him with eyes that were mysteriously clear, and then turned back to his puddle.

Sam, scarcely taken aback, cleared his throat and steadied his wand, "Prisoner number 4512-" he began again, but this time the prisoner interrupted him.

"Yeah, sure, just a minute…"

Sam watched as the man waved him off in such a rational way.

"I'm sorry," Sam said, "I can't wait a minute, we need to leave now so your trial can begin."

"I'm watching the Quidditch match," said the prisoner, irritated, "Just give me another minute!"

'Yeah,' Sam thought, sarcastically, 'He's going to testify… and everyone's going to believe him…'

Suddenly the prisoner stood up on unsteady feet, took a deep breath and coughed, "Wait… a trial? You said trial? Already! Snape said it was going to be later!"

Sam's brow furrowed, "I guess I don't know about the time it was originally going to be held at, but I do know that it is going to be held now. Today. As soon as you arrive."

The prisoner was too rational (except for talking to inanimate objects)… Sam was worried.

The Auror instinctively took a step back when the other man took a step forward.

"So we have to leave now?" the prisoner glanced hesitantly at the puddle in his corner and then took a step back toward it.

Sam scratched his chin, "Er… yes. We must leave now. Immediately."

"Yeah, I know what 'now' means," prisoner 4512 said, dismissively, crouching back down next to his puddle.

"What are you doing?" Sam wondered.

"I'm… erm… I'm getting a drink. Of water. Yes. A drink."

Sam ran a hand across his temple. A drink of water? What an odd response…

The prisoner peered back at Sam again then quickly turned back to the puddle.

!SIRIUS AND JAMES!

"Wait… a trial? You said trial? Already! Snape said it was going to be later!" Sirius yelled.

'The trial wasn't supposed to be for almost a week!' James exclaimed.

'I know! What are we going to do!' Sirius mentally questioned.

"I guess I don't know about the time it was originally going to be held at, but I do know that it is going to be held now. Today. As soon as you arrive," the Auror replied.

'Uh… I dunno… stall?' suggested James.

'For how long? Does Dumbledore know?' Sirius wondered, hysterically, 'Is this going to end up as a big circle with us finishing exactly where we started?'

"So we have to leave now?" Sirius asked the Auror.

The Auror replied, "Er… yes. We must leave now. Immediately."

"Yeah, I know what 'now' means," Sirius said, absent-mindedly

'Uh-oh… Sirius, I just had a thought,' James stated, mentally, 'Will we still be able to communicate once you leave?

'You mean mind to mind?' Sirius realized, 'You're right! What will we do!'

'Erm…'

"What are you doing?" the Auror wondered.

'_James, help me_!'

'Er…' James replied, then he had an idea.

'Sirius,' James ordered, '_drink me_.'

'Drink you!'

'The puddle! Drink the puddle!'

"I'm… erm… I'm getting a drink. Of water. Yes. A drink," Sirius told the Auror.

The animagus looked at the puddle, glanced back at the Auror, and then turned back at the puddle.

Laying flat on his stomach, Sirius lapped up the water, with his eyes tightly shut.

!PETER PETTIGREW!

Peter ran along the side of a muggle building that served food outdoors. He found as much food as he could eat from the ground and from the bins.

In his animagi form, Peter had been living like a king off the streets, in his opinion. He was glad that the Ministry buffoons didn't have enough sense to completely secure his room from animagi transformations and some of the more simple dark spells that he'd learned from his superiors in the service of the Dark Lord.

His whiskers twitching happily, Peter curled up in a cozy crack in the café's wall and fell asleep, quite ready for whatever happened to come next.

!SAM BROCKLEHURST (THE AUROR)!

Sam was rather taken aback when the prisoner spread himself horizontally on the ground and started lapping up the water like a dog.

After the prisoner (Sam had yet to find out his name) had finished almost seventy-five percent of the water, he sat up and scratched his dirty chin.

"James?" the prisoner asked hesitantly, then made a jerking motion backwards, startling himself and startling Sam.

The prisoner looked up at the Auror and smiled guiltily, "Er… right… done. We can go now."

Sam nodded curtly and motioned with his wand for the prisoner to turn around.

"Pardon?" the prisoner asked.

"Turn around, I need to bind your hands and restrict your legs."

The prisoner complied much more quickly than Sam had hoped.

Sam bound the prisoner's hands and feet with a few spells. He was finished within a minute and cleared his throat to let the prisoner know that he was finished.

"That was fast. You must be a fine Auror," said the prisoner absently as they started walking away, "Actually, I was an Auror myself… or, to be quite honest, I had barely started before I had to quit. When I was arrested, I had only been in real Auror work for a little over a year."

The prisoner rambled on, "I was fairly good at it, you see. My mate, James, and I were fast learners and we picked up on most of the stuff really fast."

Sam was really beginning to wonder who this man was and why he was sent to Azkaban. Sam also wondered, vaguely, why in Merlin's name he was so _sane_!

The prisoner looked at Sam strangely and Sam realized he had been staring.

"What… do I have dirt on my face?" the prisoner crossed his eyes to try to see the tip of his nose, "Well, I can't see any. Do you wanna rub it off for me? My hands are tied up. Obviously you already know that, you were the one that cast the spell. So is there dirt on my face?"

"Er…" said Sam, "No I wasn't staring at anything on your face."

"Oh, alright. Say, I don't really know your name, other than you being some Auror."

Sam was, unsurprisingly, taken aback. "My name? Uh, I'm not authorized to…"

"Oh, am I making you feel threatened? I'm sorry," the prisoner said, truly apologetic, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"Uh…" said Sam.

"You just called me by number. Four-thousand-something-and-twelve? Anyways, I have a name as well."

Sam agreed, "You're number is 4512.

The prisoner nodded, "And you know my name as well," it was a question.

Sam opened his mouth, unsure of what to say, when the prisoner stopped and looked him right in the eye. The Auror suddenly felt threatened, despite the fact that the prisoner had his hands and feet still bound.

"You didn't even bother to look up my name did you?" the prisoner asked, cocking his head.

Sam raised his wand, warningly and the prisoner backed away like a scolded dog. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking," the prisoner apologized.

"Absolutely right, you weren't thinking." Sam said, forcing himself back into Auror mode.

The pair of men walked along the corridors for a few minutes of strange silence.

Finally, the prisoner said, "Sirius Black."

Sam stopped and raised his wand again, demanding, "What?"

The prisoner repeated, "Sirius Black. My name is Sirius Black."

"_You're Sirius Black_!" Sam cried, rather louder than he meant to.

"Yes," the prisoner replied, with no uncertainty.

Suddenly, Sam was on high alert. They sent him **_alone_** to deal with one of Azkaban's most infamous prisoners! And Black was bloody _sane_!

"But he's been in here for years!" Sam accidentally said aloud.

"Yeah, so have I," Black said, "Well, I mean, I'm him because I have. Or actually I have been because I'm me."

Adrenaline pumped through Sam's veins. "But you're sane!"

The prisoner rolled his eyes, "I know that. I'm also innocent, but no one wants to believe that."

Sam wanted to scream and run away, something he'd rarely ever wanted to do, even throughout his difficult Auror training.

"But your entire family was a bunch of Death Eaters! And you killed all those people! And… and… everyone knows that you're evil!"

Sam was at a loss to explain why he was trying to convince the prisoner that he was the epitome of malevolence.

Black looked at Sam and said, "It is not my fault that I'm related to my family. I didn't kill anyone that day in the street. And how does everyone know I'm evil if I didn't even get a trial in the first place?"

Sam couldn't respond.

"Never mind, you don't care about my woes. Don't even answer those last statements. We're almost out of here anyways."

The boat ride to the shore was a fairly quiet one. Throughout the beginning of the trip, Sam watched the prisoner as he stared off into space, a glazed look on his face.

!HARRY!

As his broom bucked and swayed, Harry clung on tightly. He had never heard of this happening before!

Suddenly, Harry was dangling below his broom, clinging on with only one hand. He reached his other hand up, but before he could get a grip the broom gave an almighty wrench and Harry was falling.

Harry looked at the ground under him and tried to flip around so he didn't hurt his head, but the ground hit him first.

Everything went black.

!REMUS AND LILY!

Even after Harry plowed headfirst into the ground, Lily kept chanting the counter curse. She seemed to be in a trance.

Remus mentally struggled to gain control of his body again. When he did, he ran up to the edge of the stands and vaulted off. He landed on his feet fifteen meters below and continued running.

H reached the fallen boy in record time. Harry had plowed face first into the ground, and his face and mouth was full of mud.

Remus tried to wipe off the young boy's face, so he could breathe, and just barely caught a small golden ball that escaped from his mouth. "Well that was dreadfully improbable," Remus mumbled as he scraped some of the other dirt from the boy's face. Miraculously, Harry hadn't landed at too much of an angle, and he hadn't managed to snap his neck.

Remus felt a hand on his shoulder and noticed that there were several dozen people surrounding them and at least fifty more hurrying that way. Professor Dumbledore somehow managed to make his way through the group and pointed his wand at Harry's unconscious body.

!SIRIUS AND JAMES!

As the small group neared the boats on the outskirts of Azkaban, James made his presence known.

'_Sirius_! You're ignoring me!'

Sirius jumped, but the Auror hardly gave it a glance.

'I'm sorry, James, I was communicating with my captor.'

'Yes, well… that bores me. Even you should be able to tell that the Auror doesn't want to be here talking to crazy prisoners.'

'Are you calling me crazy?' Sirius asked, mock outraged.

'Well, no matter what I think, that Auror thinks you're crazy.'

'Puh,' Sirius replied.

Neither Sirius nor James noticed when the group climbed into the boats, Sirius doing it semi-automatically, his attention wholly on his conversation with his best friend.

!SAM BROCKLEHURST!

The Auror looked at the prisoner and frowned, touching his temple. Black seemed to be in a daze, staring off into space. He was showing no emotion and his eyes were unfocused. Sam thought for a moment and decided that it looked as if he had already had his soul sucked from his body.

Sam shivered. That was a terrible fate, to be sure, and he didn't know that he would wish it upon anyone, _perhaps_ not even this… person.

Deciding to make sure that nothing had happened, Sam prodded the prisoner in the side with his wand. The man jerked away in surprise with a yelp, shielding his face with his still-bound arms.

Realizing what the situation was, Black dropped his arms, glanced at Sam and the turned in the opposite direction, a pink tinge rising in his face.

!SIRIUS BLACK!

Sirius had been rudely jerked from the perfectly sane conversation he'd been having with his dead best friend, and that annoyed him.

The convict angrily turned away from that discourteous Auror and glared across the water. At that point, Sirius recognized that they were no longer in Azkaban… they were on the outside!

He was free! He was… Sirius took a breath of clean air, and thought about his bleak situation… he wasn't free yet.

Looking around, he noticed the foreboding black clouds that loomed overhead. Sirius felt the cold breath of the wind, not unlike the freezing touch of the dementors, suck the hope rapidly from his being.

Sirius lowered his gaze to the water that was splashing so near them. The convict loosened his magical binding and slid his hands apart. He extended one hand and dropped it over the side of the boat.

A voice from behind him made him pull his hand back in again.

"If you're thinking about throwing yourself overboard, don't even try it. There are charms that prevent you from it."

Sirius turned around and scoffed, "I knew that. I was an Auror, remember? And anyways, why would I want to drown myself!"

At the puzzled look on the Auror's face, Sirius remedied his statement with a rather unconvincing sigh, "I've no reason to attempt escape or suicide."

Unsurprisingly, the Auror didn't reply.

Sirius turned back around to face the approaching land and sat quietly, thinking to James, until they arrived.

!AUTHORS!

Many thanks to everyone for sticking with us! Our computer crashed and we lost most of this chapter, so we were forced to rewrite it… ah, well. The rest of the story is coming along nicely, though, and we are very, very grateful for all the reviews we've been getting.

Additional thanks for accepting our OC. I suppose this may be awkward, but he shouldn't be terribly involved in the story (so we'll re-use him instead of trying to make another OC for the next chapters).

Now, I'm not quite sure whether we're allowed to do responses to reviews in the story, but I've still seen others doing them, so we're going to reply to them.

Eggo Waffles: No, Remus's head is just fine. Yeah, I agree about Sirius and James.

SongOfStars: Thanks awfully!

Marguerida: I absolutely love Sirius and I hope that things change in the books and Sirius goes free… (he lives, I hope!) And I certainly agree that Sirius should get out of Azkaban relatively soon (see above chapter… heh), but that doesn't mean I won't be cruel to him and do the opposite of what I think. (-_hits self with lamp_- bad Kiwi! _Bad Kiwi_!)

dweem-angel: Quirrel was just behind Snape and Remus, somewhere. Quirrel was still casting the spell on Harry's broom, but in this universe, Remus sat where Quirrel was going to sit so when Hermione went rushing past, she knocked over Remus instead of Quirrel.

Time and Fate: Er… okay. Thanks, I think.

Harrypfan001 TEACHERLADY: Sorry about the length between updates. Thanks for the review.

RemusLily: The puddle thing was this: somehow the puddle inside Sirius's cell is channeling James Potter's spirit, so the two marauders are able to talk. And, as for James's role on his Quidditch team, in the movie they made James a seeker, but in the original books, he was a chaser.

Haley Carr: Thanks. I hope my writing isn't too foggy.

LupinLover88: I'm sorry about Remus's eye color. I wasn't sure either. I think that hazel can cover a variant of colors, so that's why I picked it. If his eyes are said to be some other color then I will gladly change it. There will be no (or minimal) pairing in this fanfiction, so worry not.

koriaena: I'm glad you found it again… and like it still!

Cool-chan: I am really glad you like this story. ) I liked the banter in your review! Too funny. I was cracking up when you were talking about Lord of the Rings and the Bartimaeus Trilogy. I love those books!

I-want-to-fly: Thank you much!

starrynight1013: Yeah, I am quite a lot farther along on than on I'm glad you liked the story enough to look for it here! Draco means dragon, Severus means severe, austere, stern, harsh, strict, serious (hehe), grave, solemn, gloomy, etc., Nemo means no one, nobody, not any, etc., remus (no capital) means oar, sinistera or sinistra (as in Professor Sinistra) means left, left-handed, on the left side (the left side was thought to be unlucky and bad), awkward, wrong, gauche, unlucky, harmful, evil, bad, faithless, etc. Any more that I should look up:)

starrynight1013 (_again_): During the wolf part, Remus had taken the potion, but someone had tampered with it so he only had partial control. I am aware that it probably wouldn't be the same way in canon. As for Remus being beat up by a troll: I know he would definitely be able to, under the right circumstances, but at the time he was still recovering a bit from his escapades at Azkaban and he was thinking making it harder than it was, he was prepared to fight a lot worse but he forgot how to handle a simple troll (it was the stress, I suppose). As you will notice, he tries harder spells that just don't impact the troll. I know he is a little OOC. In chapter 18, Quirrell was _not_ putting a curse on Remus; he was only cursing Harry's broom, like he was supposed to do in the books. Just so you understand; Quirrell was sitting in a different spot than he was in the books; that is the reason that he wasn't knocked down when Hermione rushed past (Remus was instead).

!AUTHORS!

Thanks again for all of the reviews. Now, we are signing off again. Please keep reviewing while we keep writing (and editing each others work!)

**_Kiwi Jeanne_**

&

**_Sqwerty Jeanne_**


	20. Of Verdicts

DISCLAIMER: Thanks for reading this story, but we do not own any of the rights to these characters, and so we cannot take all the blame… I mean _claim_… all of these characters, settings, etc.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter may be confusing to you, so read on carefully (or reread if you didn't get it the first time) and we will hope for the best. During this chapter, the trial begins and ends, but you don't get to witness much of it at all. Also, we would like you to please hang in there, because this chapter is a bit frustrating. I hope you all get the answers that you were waiting for (at least to some degree) concerning Pettigrew, Quirrell, the Quidditch match, and others. This chapter is, again, rather short, but it contains quite a bit of information, if you choose to look for it. Sorry for the lack of action and length.

Please read on!

!PREVIOUS CHAPTER!

"If you're thinking about throwing yourself overboard, don't even try it. There are charms that prevent you from it."

Sirius turned around and scoffed, "I knew that. I was an Auror, remember? And anyways, why would I want to drown myself!"

At the puzzled look on the Auror's face, Sirius remedied his statement with a rather unconvincing sigh, "I've no reason to attempt escape or suicide."

Unsurprisingly, the Auror didn't reply.

Sirius turned back around to face the approaching land and sat quietly, thinking to James, until they arrived.

!REMUS LUPIN!

Remus held his head in one hand as he looked at Harry's unconscious figure. He desperately wished that he could do something to help, but the nurse was already tending to the young lad in the hospital wing.

Remus thought back to the counterjinx that Lily had used. After Lily got started, it had barely registered in his mind that he should have known that particular counterjinx. It _had_ been covered in some class or other… Remus thought foggily, or perhaps it had been something he'd looked on his own?

Now he wasn't so sure… maybe he hadn't known that counterjinx at all.

Lily spoke up.

'What are you on about, Remus? You aren't making any sense at all.'

Remus wondered if he had been thinking loud enough for Lily to hear all of that. He hadn't thought so.

Remus mentally answered, 'I think I should have known that spell, but I just couldn't think of it.'

'Hmm…' said Lily, 'yeah, I was wondering that at the time. I know I'm not bad at that sort of thing, but you've always been our dictionary. I guess it surprised me that you wouldn't know.'

'I feel so _useless_!' Remus lamented, thinking back through the past few weeks.

!CORNELIUS FUDGE!

As he sat down at his desk to prepare for Black's re-sentencing, Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, was feeling very satisfied that the coming trial would be a cinch. He had taken special care to make sure there would be no one there to mess it up, like, perhaps Dumbledore or that idiot werewolf. No, the defense for Black was comprised of people who were intent on seeing a fair trial, but didn't really believe that the convict was innocent.

'Not that they will be able to present anything,' thought Cornelius jovially, 'as their only evidence has apparently _vanished into thin air_…'

It must have been some kind of illusion. The ministry had not even done any testing to make sure that it was indeed Pettigrew that had been brought to the ministry, and now he was gone. The only explanation was that it had been some spell, probably the responsibility of that bloody Lupin…

So Cornelius decided to have the trial before the intended date, just in case anyone tried something _funny_.

There would be no way anyone could interfere with justice this time… he had the whole ministry on his side.

He had even taken extra care to employ as few people, and dementors, as necessary. In fact, he'd had his men with connections to the head of the _Law Enforcement, Auror Division_ send one of the less-well-known and quieter Aurors to pick up the conniving prisoner. He had been assured that this Auror was perfectly well equipped to handle one insane convict.

!SAM BROCKLEHURST!

Sam kept his wand trained on the prisoner as they climbed out of the small boat.

As the convict used his _free hands_ to push himself up, Sam finally noticed and yelled "Freeze! Don't move a muscle!"

The prisoner, who was halfway out of the boat; still partially crouching, did freeze only to become unbalanced just as he did so. The man's foot had landed in a patch of wet sand which had sucked his foot under the boat.

Sam jumped out of the boat and fired a stunning spell at the prone man, startled into action, his Auror reflexes took over.

Surprisingly enough, the convict dodged out of the path of the spell and ended up completely in the water.

After several additional moments of confusion, Sam had managed to wrench the sopping wet convict from the water. As soon as the man had gotten the water from his lungs, he held his hands out weakly and apologized.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean anything by it," the thin, gaunt man sputtered, looking at the Auror earnestly, "I was only getting out of the boat. I didn't remember that I was upposed to have my hands tied. Next time use a better spell, why don't you."

Sam frowned, running a hand across his temple, and shoved a black candlestick into the convict's outstretched hands.

!SIRIUS AND JAMES!

'You sound so _stupid_!' James laughed at Sirius.

'Well, I don't want him to think I was trying to escape,' Sirius retorted, nattily.

'But you sound so _pathetic_!'

'Shut up, James.'

'Yes_sir_!'

Sirius felt a tug somewhere in his midriff and found himself looking around a marble hallway… from the floor.

'Sirius, you are on the ground,' James informed him, helpfully.

'I _know_ that!'

Sirius struggled to his feet, realizing that the Auror had somehow managed to put a much better binding spell on him without his perceiving as much.

"Where are we?" Sirius asked, aloud.

"Ministry," the Auror answered, gruffly, pushing Sirius down the corridor.

"Well, that was quick, I must say," Sirius stated, vaguely.

The Auror seized Sirius's arm in what seemed to be an iron grip, apparently fearing that the prisoner might try to make a break for it, despite his insistence against the fact. Sirius immediately felt his arm beginning to go numb and swatted at the Auror, distractedly.

Sirius let himself be led past numerous other passageways and entrances until they reached an ominous looking door.

To the right of the door another Auror was standing. He looked slightly bored until Sirius's Auror shoved the convict almost right against the door.

"Is that the prisoner, Brocklehurst?" asked the door guard, with little interest in his voice, yet his posture still showing his exquisite training.

"Yeah," Brocklehurst replied.

"Well, take him in. The trial should be starting any time now,"

The Auror obliged.

!HARRY!

Harry awoke to find faces swimming in front of him. His vision was blurry and he felt a sharp pain coming from the back of his neck and from various other parts of his body.

He opened his mouth to inquire something, but his head pounded fiercely and he couldn't get a question out.

Someone forced something into Harry's mouth and he swallowed, unsure whether it was solid or liquid.

His vision blurred a bit more and he felt as if something strong was being swung against his head.

He let out a groan and saw blackness.

!PETER PETTIGREW!

Peter wasn't quite sure what to do now. He'd been found out, obviously, so he couldn't very well go diving back into regular wizarding society as a human _or_ a rat. Luckily, it didn't seem that the fools at the Ministry really believed Lupin and Dumbledore.

He had been pondering the dilemma of his future for a bit. After living off the streets for a while, he was surprised at how easy it was to stay hidden and still get everything he needed (indeed, often _more_ than he needed… including information).

Peter's nose twitched at the vile scent of exhaust from a car. That was perhaps the only downside to this new life… some of the smells were _disgusting_!

There really wasn't use in making a list of pros and cons, so Peter made a sudden and fairly firm (by his standards) decision to continue his life on the streets… stirring up trouble whenever possible.

He pondered where best to position himself, as there were two fine places.

He could stay in the London area, where there were plenty of wizards and witches to snatch news from and stir up, or he could head up north towards Hogsmede and Hogwarts, where he was more likely to be recognized and could likely do a fair bit less damage.

Peter's limp tail flicked to the side; this choice wasn't a hard one with those points in thought.

!HARRY!

When the light came back to Harry, he saw the world come partially into focus. He tried to sit up, but found a dozen hands pushing him back down.

"Mmuphuhgh?" Harry asked. His mouth felt like it was coated with wood shavings.

"You fell off your broom," said a familiar voice.

"Ungh…" Harry agreed, "Eeiowe?"

"Er, you landed on your head and you, er, gave us all a right scare," said another familiar voice, guessing vaguely at what Harry had asked

"Mmmach," Harry said, his voice finally forming what he was thinking, "Wha' 'baut 'eh mach?

"We won the match, of course, silly," said a female voice that Harry placed as Hermione's, seeing a mass of brown hair located to his side.

Harry squinted at her and suddenly found his glasses in his hand.

"'Ank oo," he said quietly, slipping them on.

Someone handed him a glass of water with a cloth and he heard the nurse saying, "You've got some dirt in your mouth dear, you can rinse it out, if you like.

!SAM BROCKLEHURST!

As the door-guard whose name Sam couldn't quite recall waved the door open, Sam tightened his grip on the prisoner's arm and forced him forward.

Sam nodded to the guard as he walked past and the prisoner beamed audaciously and defiantly at Sam's fellow Auror.

Sam realized, as they worked their way in the direction of the prisoner's seat, that there was a dementor on either side of him and the convict. The Auror wondered why he had not noticed them before. Perhaps he had just been too focused on leaving the prison and watching the prisoner.

The enormous room held what seemed to be a strangely small number of people.

Glancing around the room without faltering in his step, Sam could find no one of any import in the area reserved for defense. The Auror took his place on the side, near the defendant's chair, and surveyed the room more closely. Everyone in the room was glaring at the prisoner. Sam looked back at the man that he had just brought there. He, too, had seen at the defense. It was feeble.

The prisoner's eyes had become deadened as they walked in the room, and this seemed to grow as he looked darkly around the room.

Sam waited until the prisoner's eyes fastened on him. Sam suddenly found himself _almost_ pitying the man. There was no bright hope in the future of this captive.

!QUIRRELL!

Infuriated, Quirrell had a strong desire to scream in frustration. Unfortunately, that would have blown his cover, so he settled for looking over the side of the stands and pasting a worried expression on his face.

He had been trying to get that annoying Potter boy all year, and something always went wrong!

And that irritating little girl! She was way too smart for her own good. She had eyed Quirrell suspiciously on several occasions; obviously she had begun to notice something odd about him.

So he simply came up with a plan to get rid of her. It was as easy as sabotaging the werewolf's potion, giving the girl a quick jinx to lose track of time and miss curfew, and taking most of the spells off of the room the beast was in. But for some bloody reason, his simple plan had not worked, which only made Quirrell angrier at himself and the ridiculous girl.

And then she had decided to go and set fire to Snape's robes! It hadn't distracted Quirrell enough to stop him from jinxing Potter's broom, of course, but it was enough to let the boy steer his broom toward the ground, and now he was just fine! Bloody child.

But something else worried Quirrell as well. The werewolf had been chanting a counter curse! Even after Quirrell had added those ingredients to the creature's potion that _should_ have caused him to become outrageously unhelpful in cases of trouble, he was able to counter this kind of jinx!

Quirrell would have been doomed for sure if the girl had spilled her suspicions to her adult friend whom Quirrell had known to be extremely good at defense against the dark arts, and had been a member of the forces against the Dark Lord.

So he had simply made sure that Lupin would not be able to help her or the stupid Potter boy, or anyone else, for that matter, in any emergency. That part of the potion should have lasted until _December_ at least, but apparently that part of Quirrell's plan had not worked either! Oh, they would pay. Potter, the girl, and Remus Lupin would pay.

Suddenly something occurred to Quirrell. Why had the girl set fire to the Potions Master's robes, at any rate? Perhaps she had thought it had been he who was cursing the broom.

Thoughtfully, Quirrell began the return to his office. This was good, he thought savagely. The focus of her suspicion could be converted to the potions master! Everyone hated the chap, and he had been the one to prepare Lupin's wolfsbane potion that Quirrell had sabotaged! It was perfect! Perhaps there was something more he could do to frame that greasy-haired git. Quirrell wasn't quite sure whether Severus Snape had been a part of his master's army in the first war, but that made little difference, as he obviously wasn't searching for the Dark Lord at the moment… idiot.

The defense against the dark arts professor suppressed a cackle as he sat down in his desk and began to grade papers. This could work out for the better after all.

!SIRIUS BLACK!

"Sirius Black, we have heard the evidence against you. You stand accused of twelve accounts of third degree murder, one account of second degree murder,"

Sirius couldn't breathe. He looked over at the Auror who had been assigned to him and caught his eye desperately, knowing it would do no good. There was no one here who believed him.

The Auror gave him a slightly sympathetic look, turning back to the man standing tall in the stands above them.

"You are further accused of two accounts of accessory to murder, and one account of accessory to attempted murder. You supported and helped He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in the murdering and injuring of countless others and planned to help him to gain more power in years to come."

The man towering above continued, glancing to his right and left, looking at the witches and wizards around him, "I now ask the Jury to decide what should be done."

Sirius felt himself go cold. None of the faces above him had looked remotely interested in his side of the argument… not that there had been much. No one had come to support the defense… not even Remus or Dumbledore, but Sirius was inclined to believe that the fault of their absence did not stand with them alone.

"Those in favor of clearing the witness?"

Sirius couldn't breathe and could hardly see. The room seemed to have frozen. There was no movement.

"And those who believe that this _Sirius Black_ deserves a sentence of exposure to a Dementor's Kiss?"

There was an enormous surge of hands.

Sirius tried to say something, but his throat was blocked.

"This court finds you guilty of the afore mentioned charges and the sentencing is that of contact with a dementor's kiss that will be carried out as soon as this jury is dismissed."

The man turned to the Auror to Sirius's left, "_Take him away!_"

!AUTHORS!

_Don't hurt us!_

We haven't finished with our story, yet, and it is classified as humor as well as, well, whatever we have it classified as (but the story is humorous as well as angsty, so bear with us!)

We haven't sucked out Sirius's soul, yet, so you can still hope (for all the good it will do, as we've already decided how this will pan out).

Just believe us when we say that this is _not_ the end, quite yet.

-sigh- alright, here are the replies to reviews.

!REVIEWS!

Time and Fate: Quirrell was the one tampering with the broom.

Marguerida: I know this probably wasn't what you were expecting as far as a trial, but hang in there, please.

SongOfStars: See, see! We weren't months between updates, this time! Huzzah :-)

Cool-chan: I know, I'm sorry that the chapters are so short, but we have issues when it comes to updating, and I think that you would all prefer that we update sooner rather than longer (at least I hope). I'm super-glad you like my story so much –blushes- thanks! And now only 15 days till Half-Blood Prince! Woot!

LoveYa: Thanks so much, -blushes- I'm glad you like it.

Raiast: hehehe!

starrynight1013: No problem. I actually just got my own Latin dictionary from my Pa, so now I don't have to borrow his! I'm glad you don't hate Sam… we were so afraid that some of our readers would abandon us… I suppose that our fears were unfounded. I hope this chapter also explained about Quirrell. I'm sorry about the trial, if you are unhappy with the outcome, but hang in there, we'll try to update soon!

dweem-angel: I'm glad you liked our OC!

I-want-to-fly: It seems to me that you understand the story better than some (my friends keep scratching their heads wondering what on earth I am talking about), and I'm glad that my sister and I are making some semblance of sense.

VampireCat: I'm glad you kept reading!

VampireKat22: Well, here's an update (you're not the same person, are you? Strange similarity in names…)

crazy-lil-nae-nae: I'm glad you like the story, and I hope you will bear with us while we try to type up the next bit.

PadawanCassy: Yeah, I agree in that the puddle thing is strange, but fun… and I am fairly sure that it hasn't been done before :-)

crazy4thesun: I'm just glad that there are characters like Sirius and James that we (as writers) are allowed to play with! -grins-

Harrypfan001 TEACHERLADY: An update! I hope it was to your satisfaction…

Thanatos Nemesis: I'm quite glad that you like it! I hope you keep reading!

!AUTHORS AGAIN!

So, thanks again everyone for reading. I hope you all liked (and are planning on reviewing) this chapter, because we have been lamenting about these few chapters around this time in the story ever since my sister and I started this fanfiction.

We both earnestly hope that this was acceptable to everyone (or at least to some of you)! And that you won't leave us here, as we aren't planning on quitting this story, quite yet.

Signing out, as usual,

_**Kiwi Jeanne**_

&

_**Sqwerty Jeanne**_


	21. Of Dementors

DISCLAIMER: Neither Sqwerty nor Kiwi owns any of these wonderful characters, settings, original plotlines, etc. Please don't try to convince them otherwise as they are confused rather easily.

AN: Many apologies for the long wait, as usual. School started again and we are trying to get back in the swing of things. Luckily for us and for you, we have finished the next chapter! Well… here you go…

!CHAPTER 21!

"This court finds you guilty of the afore mentioned charges and the sentencing is that of contact with a dementor's kiss that will be carried out as soon as this jury is dismissed."

The man turned to the Auror to Sirius's left, "_Take him away!_"

!REMUS LUPIN!

Remus looked at those crowded around Harry's bed and felt a surge of satisfaction that James's son had so many friends.

He looked at Hermione and thought about how she was such a promising witch. Remus looked to Ron, who was headstrong and brave, even if he was a bit rash. He then looked sadly at the others who were almost as worried about Harry as Ron and Hermione were.

Remus wondered what was wrong with him. Harry seemed to be alright, now. He'd been awake and talking for a while, but Remus couldn't help feeling that something else entirely was not right.

Ever since his Halloween transformation, he'd felt… different. He couldn't quite pin down how or why, but he could tell, deep in his mind, that something was desperately wrong.

Remus stared blankly at the wall behind Harry's head

There was a knock on the hospital wing door and another person entered the room. Remus didn't look at the person and was startled when a man addressed _him_.

"Remus Lupin?"

Remus turned around, taken aback. There was a dark-haired man standing a ways behind him wearing Auror's robes.

Remus stood up slowly, "Yes?"

"My name is Sam Brocklehurst. I've been sent to retrieve you as the last request of one Sirius Black."

Remus went cold, 'last request…'

"His… his trial… it has p-passed?"

Mr. Brocklehurst nodded.

"A-and the," Remus swallowed, "the verdict?"

Remus already knew the answer.

"Guilty," said the man, "and sentenced to a Dementor's kiss."

"No," breathed Remus, disbelieving, "No, that can't be. The trial wasn't scheduled for today…"

"It was moved," said Mr. Brocklehurst, regretfully, "It… it wasn't a fair trial."

"No," Remus repeated, oblivious to the fact that prisoners sentenced to the dementor's kiss were rarely given the chance for a last request.

The Auror stood fairly silently for a moment.

Remus glanced at him, "Dumbledore?"

"He has been informed."

Remus nodded.

!SIRIUS BLACK!

'You know, Padfoot, I wonder if I wouldn't be better off dead, after this.' James said, solemnly.

'Isn't there any way for you to… er… leave?' Sirius asked.

'Naw, I wouldn't leave you here by yourself to die… or become soulless. Although, I-'

'Don't say it, James, just don't say it.' Sirius interrupted.

James continued as if Sirius hadn't said anything, '-had thought you were soulless a long time before you met your first dementor.'

'Shut up, James.'

'Right, right, of course.'

The silence that had filled the area seeped into their minds. The room they occupied was a small one. It had been used many times before for this purpose and others. There were several hard-backed chairs with both magical and physical means of restraining prisoners. There was always a chance, apparently, that the prisoners would make a last attempt at escape… or suicide.

Both men sat in a silent trance, thinking of nothing at all.

Then, the daze was broken and James could tell that Sirius was thinking of the dementor that was undoubtedly heading their way.

James, on the other hand, let his thoughts wander to his other best friend.

'D'you think that Moony will come?' James wondered.

'Of course he will.' Sirius answered.

The second half of his thought lay unspoken… neither of them dared to even think it, '…if he can.'

A dementor approached. Both men felt it and Sirius stiffened.

'Patronous?' Sirius suggested, halfheartedly.

'I don't think it'll work, but let's try it…' James said optimistically.

Neither of them had tried this type of wandless magic. The most that they had done was in Auror training and those were only the simplest spells. They gave it several tries, but nothing substantial happened.

'James,' Sirius said worriedly, 'I think you should leave! There is nothing you can do.'

'Sirius, I-'

'At least try to leave, Prongs, think of Lily! You can't leave her all alone… wherever she is.'

'I'm sure she's fine, Sirius, but I don't-' James tried

'At least try?' Sirius persisted.

'Fine.'

James tried, he really did. He tried detaching himself from the physical world and tried recalling the feeling of the Other Side.

'Nothing?' asked Sirius, desperately.

'I can't. I just can't do it, Sirius. I'm sorry.'

'Well, don't apologize to me!' Sirius replied, sourly.

James heard a creaking sound and felt the temperature drop a few notches.

'Here it comes,' Sirius whispered.

'At least we don't have anything… er… too major to be guilty about.'

'Er… James?' Sirius intoned, 'Remember that time when Lily found that frog on her side of the bed and you got blamed?'

'That was _you_?' James roared.

'Well… uh…'

'Were you responsible for that damn spider, too?' James growled

'Er… what if I told you that was Remus?' Sirius asked, hesitantly.

'I wouldn't believe you,' James answered promptly.

'He did it, I swear, that time it was him,' Sirius insisted.

'Yeah, right.'

'He did, I told Moony about the frog and he thought it was funny, but suggested a spider instead. I told _him_ to do it himself, but I didn't think that he really would.'

'Still don't believe you.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yes, I'm sure.' James said decisively.

There was silence for a moment.

'Peter?' Sirius suggested, tentatively.

'_Sirius!_'

!REMUS LUPIN!

Remus was shaking. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears. He didn't know what to do, how to respond. He only knew that he had to get to Sirius.

Lily had stayed blissfully quiet through the trip and Remus didn't know if he could handle any conversation with her.

The Auror, Sam Brocklehurst, was currently leading Remus down a hall in the Ministry of Magic. The only thoughts Remus could form were vague and foggy.

The Auror led him into another hallway that looked much the same as the previous one and then he motioned toward a door.

Remus watched as Sam Brocklehurst did a series of complicated spells and pulled the door open.

The room they entered was silent and a wave of cold washed over them. Remus pulled away as the dementor passed them.

"Oh my god…" said the Auror, quietly.

The werewolf's vision went blurry and he leaned heavily against the wall.

In the middle of the room was Sirius Black, bound tightly to a chair. His head was lolling to the side and his mouth was slightly open. His eyes held a glazed look but his face also showed a hint of fear.

Remus felt his stomach try to reject his most resent meal.

"Sirius…" Remus whispered, hoarsely.

"I- I'm sorry," said the Auror, awkwardly, "I thought- I mean… I was led to believe…"

Remus let out a sob and tore from the room as fast as he could. Sam glanced at the prisoner and followed.

!JAMES POTTER!

'Argh! Can't… move…' thought James, but couldn't choke out a sound, 'Remus! WAIT! I'm still in here! Don't leave!'

Remus left the room, ignoring the silent pleas from James.

'Aw _crap_.'

'Okay…haven't been in a live body for ten years, but I can do this… finger… lift!' Nothing happened.

'Alright, how about blinking… that shouldn't be too hard…' James tried, 'Oh, Merlin. It's no use!'

'Oh no. Oh, god, I have an itch.'

James tried to ignore the stupid itch, but it only intensified.

'Bloody Hell!'

James strained to remember how to handle a body by himself… that is without Sirius.

Then, James noticed his hand twitch.

'AH! Aha! I moved! Did anyone see that? I twitched! Aw, come on, nobody saw that? Crap.'

'You know, it'd probably be a _heck_ of a lot easier if I were bound to this damn chair!' James fussed, struggling with the chains.

As the cold metal bit into his forearms, James realized something…

'HA! YES!' When he dropped his arms, though, he managed to lose what control he had gained, 'Oh, Merlin. This is the most stupid situation I've ever been in… maybe. Actually, no, there were several other times that may have been worse… hmm… But this is definitely _one_ of the most maddening.'

'So, I suppose that this means if I want to move I can't think about it.'

Several frustrated words, some of which would have made Lily stomp her foot and cover Harry's ears, later, James had managed to move most of his… no… _Sirius's _muscles on command.

However, there was still the issue of the restraints on the chair.

'Okay. I'm going to undo the chains now…'

_BANG!_

"Uh..!" James grunted.

'Wow… I just did wandless magic. Wicked. It must have something to do with the whole "_dead power_" thing. I bet I have Sirius's magic, too. Nifty."

James stood up on wobbly legs. This body was significantly taller than the one he was accustomed to. It was much weaker as well, from being in prison.

'I'm hungry… haven't been like that for ten years…'

'Alright… gotta find that dementor… get Sirius's soul back…'

James really had no idea _how _he was going to go about doing this, but he thought he'd better start moving, before it was too late.

James took a step, and tripped.

"Oh, come ON!"

He reached out and grabbed the handle of the door.

_ZAP!_

"OW!" James snatched his hand back.

"Fine!" He retorted.

Spinning around, he contemplated the other walls. He had to get that door open!

Suddenly, there came a clink and a creak. James looked behind him.

'Hey! I opened it!'

!LUPIN!

Lupin watched as a stag ran past.

'Lily, did you see that?'

'What?... sorry… I was thinking…'

'It was a stag! It looked like James!'

'Remus…'

'… I'm sorry, Lily, but I'm _sure_ it was…'

From the direction the stag had just run, came a very familiar black dog.

'Lily! You saw that, right? This is great! Do you know what this means? It means I'm just having a bad dream! I'll wake up any second!'

'Remus, please don't do this to yourself…'

'Come on, you didn't see it?'

'I think we should go back to Hogwarts, Remus, and talk to Albus.'

'But… _Lily_…'

'Remus-' Lily warned.

'Lily…' Remus pleaded.

'Remus!' Lily scolded.

'Oh _fine_, I suppose you're right.'

!JAMES!

'So, I suppose this means I'm temporarily free,' James thought as he wandered the halls, 'Funny, that. Sirius is free for the first time in ten years and _I'm_ the one in his body. Heh.'

As James was about to round a corner, he heard voices and pulled back. He shrank back against the wall, hoping that whoever it was wouldn't see him.

A tall young man walked by, along with an older fellow. The younger of the two was speaking rapidly and James didn't even try to understand him, although the occasional words did stick out, such as "…those dementors… so cold… despicable… Sirius Black…"

James inhaled quickly and the older man glanced in his direction before replying slowly, "I quite agree, André. But although Black did deserve it, I don't see why they couldn't bring the criminal _back _to Azkaban and then dispose of him _there_. I dislike these dementors as much as you do."

James watched the men until they were out of sight around the next corner and scratched his head…neither of them had noticed him, even though the older bloke had looked _just at him_!

James looked down at his clenched hand and his stomach gave a jolt as he realized that…. his hand wasn't there!

"Woohoo!" James gloated loudly, "I'm invisible!"

His voice echoed down the hallways and James saw his body come back into view.

"Oh, great…"

James heard an answering noise begin to head in his direction and, out of instinct, changed into his animagi form, a stag, and bolted.

He ran quickly down the halls, blindly making his way past branching corridors and the occasional people. Finally James skidded to a halt and realized that galloping down the halls as a stag was probably rather conspicuous.

Then a thought occurred to him… 'I have Sirius's magic… er… supposedly… so I expect I should be able to use Sirius's animagi form!'

Excitedly, James turned Sirius's body back into that of a human and then concentrated on the form he had seen Sirius use so many times.

James felt a change and recognized that his senses were definitely… different… somehow. He also realized that he was a fair bit closer to the ground.

He hadn't taken another breath before he was off, running back down the same hall he had come from.

Some sense that James wasn't usually aware of was awakened in him and he tore down the corridors faster than a blink and when he stopped it was directly in front of a dark and towering dementor.

James turned back into a human and shuddered as the cold washed upon him like a wave of icy water.

The dementor turned its robed head in his direction and drew a long, rattling breath.

Somehow, James realized that this was not the right dementor and returned to Sirius's animagi form, continuing his original path down the corridor.

'Let's go, let's go, let's go!'

James followed some internal force racing down the halls.

After a while, James found a second and then a third and a fourth, but none of them seemed to be the correct one.

As he was beginning to become perturbed , James stumbled across another. This dementor held Sirius's soul. James wasn't sure how he knew, but it was clear he had found the exact dementor he and Sirius had met earlier.

James turned back to Sirius's human form. Backing away slightly, James realized for another time that he had no idea how to complete his mission.

The dementor didn't seem intimidated in the least by James and his magic and simply advanced upon him, eagerly.

James held up his arms as if to block an attack, but the dementor only took a long breath.

'I've no idea what to do now!' James thought, desperately, 'How in Merlin's name am I to do this! Shouldn't my… er… _'extra-special-dead-person-plus-one'_ magic be helping right about—'

His thought was cut short when a heavy object landed in his outstretched hands. James pitched forward, startled by the abrupt change in balance, before straightening up again.

James examined it and decided that it was a large sword. He removed it from the scabbard and brandished it in front of him, but the dementor didn't seem fazed.

"Oh, Merlin! This is never going to work!" James informed the sword.

The weapon did not reply.

"Well, fine!"

James took a deep breath and swung the sword with both hands.

!END CHAPTER!

AUTHORS: Well, we hope you enjoyed that… hope it wasn't too much of a cliffhanger.

Thanks a ton to everyone who reviewed: VampireKat22, dweem-angel, Harrypfan001 TEACHERLADY, SongOfStars, I-want-to-fly, glurg, anna, NinielB, NinielB (again), NinielB (and a third review), NinielB (and another time! Wheehoo!), Time and Fate, ave-adore, cyanideyoudrank, Marguerida, ERMonkey Burner of Cookies, Baku, ave-adore (for a second time!).

I'm glad that most people understood the last chapter, I hope that we cleared things up in this one.

Please review this chapter, and we'll try to post sooner, this time.


	22. Of Souls and Books

**DISCLAIMER:** We own nothing. Nope, we do not own anything.

**AN:** Many apologies for the lengthy wait. We are having some issues with time restraints in school. We may finish the next chapter, but don't count on it. Happy Christmas, everyone.

**!EXCERPT FROM LAST CHAPTER!**

'_I've no idea what to do now!' James thought, desperately, 'How in Merlin's name am I to do this! Shouldn't my… er… '_extra-special-dead-person-plus-one_' magic be helping right about—'_

_His thought was cut short when a heavy object landed in his outstretched hands. James pitched forward, startled by the abrupt change in balance, before straightening up again._

_James examined it and decided that it was a large sword. He removed it from the scabbard and brandished it in front of him, but the dementor didn't seem fazed._

"_Oh, Merlin! This is never going to work!" James informed the sword._

_The weapon did not reply._

"_Well, fine!"_

_James took a deep breath and swung the sword with both hands._

**!CHAPTER 22!**

Unused to the weight of the sword, James overbalanced and tipped violently sideways, missing the dementor completely.

He let out a cry as the sword struck the wall fiercely and bounced off. Steadying himself, James faced the dementor again. The dementor seemed to be considering whether or not James was _now_ a threat.

James backed up, dragging the sword after him. He pointed the sword to a spot to the right of the dementor. As the dementor moved forward smoothly, James swung the sword in a tight arc.

Before James had registered that the dementor wasn't advancing anymore, not to mention that it was missing its head, his mind was bombarded with a hailstorm of intruders.

'_I'm free, I'm free…!' 'Oh, have they reconsidered my verdict?' 'Ha HA! I will rule the world once more!' 'No… no, please, I don't want to die…' 'I haven't had this much excitement for at least fifty years…' 'Ah… the light it burns! I wanna go back in the Other Place…' 'Where am I! This isn't my body! I want to leave!' 'What do you think you are doing, you peasant?' 'I'm innocent! Nooo you can't take me! I'll not give in!' 'I tell you, the injustice must stop!'_

James felt his head spinning.

He supposed that all of the souls had gravitated toward him because he was the nearest living body.

'Okay,' he thought, 'This shouldn't be too hard to solve…'

The noise level inside his head increased.

'Okay,' James mentally roared, 'Everyone _shut up_!' Silence fell

'Thank you, I couldn't hear myself think.'

One mental voice spoke up. 'Who are you, and why are we all here!'

'I… don't know…' James replied.

He was hit by a cacophony of noise again.

'Alright,' James said over the noise, 'We can't solve this if everyone's talking at once.'

The animagus pondered the situation during the brief silence that followed and decided that when he had gotten rid of the dementor, it had released all of the souls that it had _ever_ carried.

'Well, great…' James thought sarcastically.

Thirty or forty voices responded, wanting to know what was _great_.

'Wait, wait, wait… everyone **_quiet down_**!' When some of the voices grew silent, James continued, 'I need to know if _Sirius Black_ is anywhere in here?'

'Present!' came Sirius' voice from a corner of James' mind.

Hundreds of whispers broke out… _'Sirius Black?' 'The Murderer…' '—heard he was You-Know-Who's man!' '—killed 13 people with one curse!'_

'Thank Merlin, Padfoot.'

'You know, James, we have company.'

'Thanks… you're ever so much help, Padfoot.'

'Oh, you're welcome… anytime, really.'

'There was sarcasm in there somewhere _for your information_,' James informed Sirius tartly.

'Do you know _why _there are so many people here, Jamie?' Sirius asked, innocently.

'Yes,' James replied, hesitantly, 'I cut off the dementor's head.'

'Oh… Ew.' Sirius realized, 'Well, what I was_ going to say _was that there is a great empty chasm in your head. Lots of people can fit into it.'

'Thanks, Sirius. This is your head, you know.'

'Oh, yeah! Why _are_ there so many people here, then?'

James sighed, then started to chuckle.

'What are you laughing about?' Sirius wondered.

The rest of the people had gone quiet, listening to the duo's antics.

'I just realized the irony in this situation.'

'Huh?'

'Well, my dear Sirius, for some reason I find it funny that even though you didn't have a soul when we were younger, you now have plenty of them to spare.'

James grinned widely.

'I just got kissed by a dementor and you're making fun of me?' Sirius asked, incredulous.

'You started it.'

'How right you are. I rather did.'

'How did you two idiots get into Azkaban, any ways?' A prisoner asked, loudly.

'I'm not a bad person; that was Sirius…' James accused.

'I was framed.'

'Weren't we all?' Someone else snorted.

'Why are we even talking to you? Get out of here,' James ordered.

Nothing happened.

'Sirius, make them leave!'

'Er… hey you all… would you please… erm… _leave_?'

_Whoosh._

'That worked splendidly, Padfoot.'

'I have a way with people.'

'Of course you do. Where do you suppose they went?'

'I dunno. Frankly, I don't care.'

'You're a murderous, raving, lunatic, Sirius.'

'So I've been told.' Thanks for the whole "_saving me_" thing, by the way.'

**!REMUS LUPIN!**

Remus woke up, his face covered in his oatmeal.

Ever since Sirius Black's soul had been sucked from his body, Remus had not been sleeping well at all.

This was the fifth time in three days that Remus had awoken in his one of his meals.

Remus moved his head a bit so he could breathe, then felt his head being lifted up from the back.

"Remus? Are you alright?" Remus recognized Professor McGonagall's voice.

"Professor McGonagall?" Remus said, vaguely.

"Minerva," she corrected.

"Mmhmm."

Professor McGonagall handed him a cloth and Remus cleaned his face.

"You need to be getting more sleep, Remus," the Professor chided, gently, "I'm sure Poppy would be only too happy to give you a sleeping potion."

"Alright, sure," Remus mumbled his assent.

The werewolf pushed his chair back and began to leave.

"Where are you going?" Professor McGonagall asked, concerned.

"Dunno. Talk to Harry, maybe."

The Professor's mouth thinned with worry, but she only nodded.

Remus left the Great Hall, realizing as he did that he was now obligated to find Harry, who (for some odd reason) was not at the Gryffindor table with his peers. Hermione and Ron were absent as well.

He sighed and headed up to the library, taking a wild guess.

Five minutes later, Remus walked through the library doors and moved towards the trio from behind. All three of them had their noses stuck in their books. Hermione's book appeared to be twice as large as Harry's and Ron's together.

There were stacks of books surrounding them, at least three feet in height. They were researching something.

Remus chuckled as he approached, causing an odd reaction.

All three children slammed their books shut simultaneously and one of the piles of books came tumbling after Ron as he tried to stand up.

Hermione's wand was out and slowing them down in a moment.

When they had realized the intruder was Remus Lupin, they each gave him a weak smile.

"Bloody Hell," Ron yelped, "Sir, you scared me!"

Remus smiled again and leaned over, picking up one of the fallen books.

Without meaning to, Remus caught several of the titles.

_Notable Magical Names of Our Time_

_A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry_

_The Mag-Astro-Mancer (London, 1652)_

_Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_

_Important Modern Magical Discoveries_

_Modern Magical History_

"What are you researching," Remus asked, "that _these_ books would be of any help to you?"

"Uh…"

"Well, we were just…"

"Nothing! Only doing a bit of research for our boring, dull, uninteresting classes!"

"Nothing that matters one bit…"

"You'll have to do better than that. You can't fool me that easily," Remus told them.

The trio looked guiltily at their books.

"It was worth a try, anyways," suggested Harry.

"What _are _you researching?" Remus persisted.

Harry looked at Ron, then Hermione, before returning his gaze to Remus' shoulder.

Remus heard a mumbled answer, so soft it was inaudible, even for his sensitive hearing.

The werewolf cleared his throat loudly.

"Well…" Harry stalled, "Since we had nothing else to do… erm… Hermione suggested…uh…"

Hermione, seeing that Harry was failing miserably, decided the truth was the best path to follow, "We were looking up Nicolas Flamel. Hagrid mentioned him, but then wouldn't explain who he is. So we came here to find out for ourselves."

"What's made you so curious about him?"

"We just wanted to know why he wouldn't tell us." Harry said, looking at his feet. Remus had a strong nagging feeling that he was missing something.

"Just be careful." Remus advised, "There must be a reason he didn't want you to know."

'I think there's something they aren't telling us,' Lily confided in Remus, silently.

Harry looked up. "Are you alright? You look kind of sick."

"Oh… well, I've been better."

After a few moments of silence, Harry hesitated, and then whispered nervously, "Er… Moony? I... just thought you should know… we think that maybe something weird is going on."

Hermione nodded. "We've seen teachers whispering in the hallways."

"Yeah, and even Hagrid stops talking when we get near the topic." Harry added.

"We're not even quite sure what the topic _is_," Ron groaned.

Hermione cut in, "We think Snape has something to do with it."

'Remus?' came a voice from inside his head.

'Yeah, Lily?'

'I'm going to have to agree with the children, I think there may be something very strange going on around here.'

Remus paused to think. There had been some strange things going on lately, he acquiesced, but he could not manage to piece together what it was. Honestly, he wouldn't have noticed anything if the three and Lily had not brought it to his attention.

'What is wrong with me, Lily?' wondered Remus, frustrated.

'I'm not su-' Lily began, but then went silent for a moment.

'What? What is it, Lily? Did you remember something?'

'Hold on… I think I may just have it!'

With that thought, Remus hurried off, leaving behind several confused first years.

**--**

After several minutes of quiet searching, Harry appeared from behind a bookshelf.

"Er… Remus?" he asked timidly, "Do you need any help with that?" He pointed to the stack of twenty or so books the werewolf had compiled when he unsystematically pulled them off their shelves, hoping that they would prove useful.

"No thanks, Harry." He smiled wanly, turning back to_ The Magicall-Astrologicall Diviner Posed and Puzzled._

After a bit, Harry inquired anew, "I was just wondering about something on the map."

"Is someone doing something suspicious?"

"I don't know…" Harry pulled the Marauder's Map out of his pocket and handed it to Lupin, pointing to a rarely frequented area of the castle that the Marauders had visited upon numerous occasions during their time in Hogwarts. "I can't read that name. It's gone all blotchy."

Lupin leaned closer, concerned. It was as if ink had bled through from somewhere else… as if there were two names overlapping next to only one dot. The dot disappeared into a classroom at such a speed that Lupin doubted that it was anyone on foot.

'Why don't we go check it out?' Lily suggested.

'But I really want to finish this.' He indicated the books. 'Besides, it's most likely just some kids fooling around.'

'You should really take a break. The books aren't going to run away.'

Lupin, not having a significant argument, nodded and then he stood.

"I'll take a look," he told Harry.

**--**

Leaving the first-years in the library with Remus' recently piled books, the werewolf walked briskly past the well-worn hallways and into the empty passages of the castle.

Down a flight of stairs and through a secret route, passing a door that led to nowhere, Remus eventually found himself standing at the end of a long corridor where the suspicious dot was seen last.

Pulling out the Marauder's Map once again, Remus Lupin found the dot to be in a classroom just down the hall and to his left. He reached the door and was unsurprised to find that it was securely closed.

Remus crept closer and pressed his ear against the wooden paneling, while he whispered an eavesdropping spell.

He heard a loud thud, which was immediately followed by a loud bark of laughter.

"You are a cruel man, my friend, a cruel, cruel man."

Backing away just a bit, Remus performed a tricky little spell that allowed him to see through a tiny bit of wall. It was rather uncomfortably like looking through a keyhole, but it did allow him at least some idea of what was happening on the other side of the door.

What he saw made Remus' vision go dark around the edges for a moment, nearly causing him to lose consciousness. For an instant, Remus had thought he had seen one of his best friend's animagus forms… a stag.

'James is dead,' Remus reminded himself.

'So am I, Remus,' Lily responded, 'and that certainly _looks _like him.'

A moment later, a scruffy, black dog replaced the stag.

'Oh, just _great_…'

**!END CHAPTER!**

I hope that this chapter was to your liking.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed last: dweem-angel, Time and Fate, koriaena, Marguerida, anna, Cool-chan, Ashley, Kurai Shinigami, I-want-to-fly, SongOfStars, ave-adore, jenny, Tilly Jeanne, Frankie, and Stine


	23. Of Meetings

DISCLAIMER: We continue not owning anything but the vaguest idea of a plot and some of the ideas. In the interests of remaining on good terms with others, we own nothing of consequence on this site. Yup.

AN: Hello, again. We're getting closer to finishing the story. We have been, as per usual, lax in our updating; however we _are _planning on finishing this story.

AN2: We would appreciate it if all of the people who are still reading this story (yes, you! you are our inspiration!) would leave a review and/or a comment in the newest feature on this website (forums!). Thanks for all the feedback!

AN3: One last thing, before we get to the meat and potatoes. There is a short section in this chapter that may be found offensive to some audiences. We are not, I repeat _not_ trying to be offensive in any way, shape, or form. It is meant merely for the humour of the situation. I must also add, because of continued questioning, that this story is **not slash**.

_**---previous chapter---**_

What he saw made Remus' vision go dark around the edges for a moment, nearly causing him to lose consciousness. For an instant, Remus thought he had seen one of his best friend's animagus forms… a stag.

'James is dead,' Remus reminded himself.

'So am I, Remus,' Lily responded, 'and that certainly _looks _like him.'

A moment later, a scruffy, black dog replaced the stag.

'Oh, just _great_…'

**_Chapter 23: Of Meetings_**

**!QUIRRELL!**

Professor Quirinus Quirrell was sitting in his office trying to correct essays, when he found himself being distracted yet again.

The whole reason he was now at the school was to capture that damn stone and he had not made anywhere near enough progress. Quirrell was sufficiently frustrated and the situation just kept getting more and more complicated.

Quirrell made a violent motion with his wand hand, causing his quill to pierce the table along with the last few essays from his first class of the day.

Sighing, he leaned back in his chair and placed his hands behind his turban. Taking a quick glance over his desk, Quirrell spotted something that plainly did not belong.

There was a fat rat sitting between the pile of second period's research and a pot of black ink. The small, glistening eyes were staring right at him, unblinkingly.

Nearly toppling backward, Quirrell scrambled from his seat and placed his hand onto his wand.

The rat crawled to the front of the desk and suddenly grew larger and larger, taking the form of a man.

The man now sitting on the desk gave Quirrell what might have been a smirk if the eyes above it had not been so frightened.

"H-hello," the man squeaked. "I've got something you'll w-want to hear."

**!SIRIUS AND JAMES!**

Sirius Black and James Potter traveled the distance from the Ministry of Magic to Hogwarts in less than four days, thanks to magic and some good, old-fashioned luck.

It had been rather exhausting, but even being the self-appointed brilliant, not to mention handsome, men that they were, the two were extremely hesitant to attempt any more obvious or speedy means of transportation such as apparating or using floo powder. Mostly, this was because neither of them was sure how their… ahem… _unique situation_ would be affected by this.

When the two passed through Hogsmede, they were in rather good spirits, knowing that they had nearly reached their destination.

Without incident, they snuck into Honeydukes, pausing to examine the new products, and then they stole into the tunnel that led to Hogwarts. They prodded each other with playful banter until they arrived at the other end, when they both fell into silence, reliving memories like mad.

"Bloody…" whispered James, currently in control of the Sirius' body.

'Blast from the past,' agreed Sirius.

After a few moments, Sirius regained his mental speed, 'Er, James, we probably shouldn't stand out in the open like this.'

'Oh, right,' James turned into a dog made quickly for a relatively vacant corridor that they knew from their marauding days.

When they had settled comfortably into an abandoned classroom, locking the door with several different spells, Sirius brought up an interesting question that they hadn't had time to answer during their trip.

'We can obviously use each other's animagus forms, but what does that mean for our magical signature and each of our magic individually?'

The two pondered this for a while and then decided to test it.

After doing a multitude of spells, in Sirius's human form, James relinquished control to Sirius, who checked each of the spells with one he had learned just after school and found that each spell cast had a different magical signature.

'That's odd,' James bluntly stated.

'Yeah,' agreed Sirius, 'and look at this; each of them have different intensity as well.'

James contemplated this for a moment, before suggesting that their individual proficiency influenced the spells. Sirius agreed in that possibility, but wondered how deeply their magic was fused.

The two decided to try an experiment and separated their souls to the different sections of Sirius's mind.

They managed to separate both their minds and their magic, before the world started tilting violently. James grasped for control of the body, but Sirius got there first and stuck his tongue out at the wall.

'I win,' Sirius thought, before crashing to the ground.

James mentally shoved Sirius out of the way and took control of the mind, saying, "You are a cruel man, my friend, a cruel, cruel man."

'I know,' Sirius acquiesced, 'but you are so much worse.'

The two chuckled for a moment as James changed into his animagus form. He took a loud step, his hoof making a clacking sound, before noticing his error.

'Whoops, forgot to be you, Padfoot.' James mentally grinned before switching forms.

'That could be potentially bad. I think we should add some horseshoes,' Sirius agreed, before there was a soft noise outside the door.

The two were immediately wary. James backed into a shadowed corner, transformed silently, and pulled out a "borrowed" wand, muttering a few brief incantations.

For a moment, the silence was absolute, but then, James sensed that the complex locking spell he had put on the door was undone.

The door creaked open, revealing… a blank stretch of wall and some air.

'What do you think?' Sirius asked, fear gripping his heart.

'I think they're invisible or hiding,' James responded, silently.

The two saw a brief ripple in the air just to their left and James lunged out and grabbed the disillusioned figure by the ankle.

Quickly canceling the charm, James whipped the figure's wand out of his hand and pointed his own at the newcomer's throat.

He only pulled back when he realized that it was his best living friend he had just pinned to the ground.

Remus Lupin had a slightly startled look on his face from being overtaken so easily, but his expression changed rapidly to one of extreme shock.

"S-Sirius? You're really alive, then?"

James sat back on his knees and let a maniacal grin creep across his face. "I dunno. Sirius, are you alive?"

Lupin's brow furrowed and he tried to back away slightly, although this was made slightly awkward by the fact that he was splayed out on the ground.

Neither spoke, until the convict's mouth responded into the silence, "Er… Sirius says that he doesn't know if he qualifies at the moment, but he's still more or less here and I would like to add that his cadaverous body is still walking around."

Sirius's mouth pulled into a wide grin and Remus lifted an eyebrow.

"I suppose we have quite a bit to discuss, then," Lupin suggested, quietly.

**!HARRY!**

As Harry hurried back to his friends, he saw that they had begun packing up. When he questioned this, Hermione answered, "Well, of course. We're going after them, aren't we?"

Hermione picked up a few more books from the pile. Harry didn't think it was physically possible to get anything else into her bag, but she shoved them in anyway. She and Ron were anxiously waiting at the library door by the time Harry had snatched his things and caught up.

They hurried along endless passages until they reached the place Harry had last seen the mysteriously labeled blotch. "It was just here when Mr. Lupin went off to have a look. I think it was going this way."

The three turned down the next likely looking corridor. Unfortunately for them, the suspicious person in question, plus one Mr. Lupin, had just turned a completely different corner, heading for the library.

**!THE SUSPICIOUS BLOTCH AND REMUS!**

"But now they're all gone, right?"

"Well, we think so. They've stopped irritating us, at least."

"And then…?" Remus wondered.

"Well, we just made our way to Hogwarts. We decided that you'd probably be here, still, and there's Dumbledore, of course."

"Yes…" Remus agreed, "I had wondered if you two had… er… realized that I've come under the same predicament that you have."

James tipped Sirius's head curiously to one side, "You've been in a fight with a dementor, have you? Chopped off its head, I would imagine."

Remus rolled his eyes, "No, I have not. I am currently sharing my body with your wife, James."

Sirius's eye twitched involuntarily, "Lily?" James wondered.

Remus sighed, "No, Prongs, your _other_ wife. Of course I meant Lily."

"C-can…" James cleared his throat, "Can I talk to her?"

Remus bit his lip, thinking hard, before nodding and relinquishing his control to Lily Potter.

Sirius and Remus tried to ignore what the other two were talking about, however, this became a problem after a short while.

Their bodies were sitting cross-legged on the floor, looking each other in the eyes and speaking in whispers, when Sirius and Remus began to struggle for control, again.

Their protests grew, the longer the couple spoke, until they regained control completely.

'What was that for, Remus?' Lily demanded, mentally.

At the same time, James threatened, 'Sirius, I was having a moment with my wife!'

"I'm not letting _me_ kiss _Sirius_!" Remus shuddered, scrambling to his feet.

Sirius agreed wholeheartedly, "I would _never _be able to forget that!"

The silence that fell was as thick and easy to breath as a roomful of cream. For several moments, no one spoke, even mentally. Then…

Raucous and enthusiastic, mentally and aloud, laugher filled the room rather a bit faster than the oppressive silence could leave.

The whole situation brought forth memories from their school years and beyond. It was quite the most shocking state of affairs that had occurred to the lot of them for at least ten years.

"Do you suppose we should proceed with the next part of our plan," Sirius asked, when the laugher had faded away.

"I was thinking we should head for the library to pick up your son, James."

**!END CHAPTER!**

I/we won't reply to the reviewers _in the chapters_, anymore (although I would if I could) one of us _will_ answer the comments that any of you nice, awesome, terrific people leave in our forums.

That does not, however, mean that we don't like reviews. Ff just said that they didn't want that sort of thing in the story section. We all adore the reviewers very, very much. If you don't have time to leave both a review and a comment, we would love just getting some feedback in a review.

Thanks a ton, everyone!

_Kiwi Jeanne _and _Sqwerty Jeanne_


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